As part of his commitment to strengthen the Nation's shipbuilding and maintenance, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro kicked off the inaugural meeting of the Government Shipbuilders Council (GSC) at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Nov. 16.
To improve the way U.S. government does business in ship acquisition and ship maintenance, Secretary Del Toro underscored the council's mission to address common and singular challenges among those that contract in shipbuilding; identify opportunities to leverage each organization's resources to maximize government savings in costs, time and resources; share best practices and lessons learned; and support strategic decision making to strengthen the shipbuilding industrial base.
In September, Secretary Del Toro called for a new maritime statecraft to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition, during remarks at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He said it must be bold and "renew our commitment as a nation to recapitalizing national maritime power."
Secretary Del Toro added that agility in ship production and design requires developing new, digital tools for our workforce to improve efficiency and capacity. He also encouraged GSC members to convene at shipyards, other institutions, or academies where future maritime leaders are trained.
"For example, last month, I visited the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on our Navy's birthday to demonstrate our partnership, my commitment to maritime statecraft, and our whole-of-government effort to tackle these challenges," said Secretary Del Toro.
Initial members of the GSC will include:
- Navy: Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (DASN) for Ships, and Military Sealift Command (MSC), Director of Ship Management
- Coast Guard: Assistant Commandant for Acquisition (CG 9) and Assistant Commandant for Engineering & Logistics (CG-4)
- Army: Program Executive Officer, Combat Support & Combat Service Support (CS & CSS)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Director of Marine and Aviation Operations
- Maritime Administration: Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift
- Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD): Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Materiel Readiness