TOTE Services to Manage Construction of MARAD Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels

TOTE Services, LLC, a U.S. maritime services company, has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Transportation - Maritime Administration (MARAD) to act as the vessel construction manager (VCM) for the Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel (MRIV) programme, MarineLink / Maritime Reporter stated. This initiative is designed to support the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in enhancing national security.

Following this award, TOTE Services executed a shipyard subcontract with Hanwha Philly Shipyard (HPSI) for the construction of the first MRIV. This vessel marks the initial unit in a planned series for the MDA. The MRIV programme was announced earlier this year by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russ Vought. Since the announcement, TOTE Services has been engaged in negotiating and finalising contract terms, advancing the vessel design, and securing firm fixed pricing.

Accelerated Construction Model

MarineLink / Maritime Reporter reported that MARAD's decision to utilise the VCM model is expected to expedite the design and negotiation phases, completing tasks in under three months, a process that typically takes a year or more in traditional government shipbuilding. This approach, according to the publisher, aims to reduce acquisition costs by at least 50% compared to conventional government acquisition strategies. The VCM model focuses on defining requirements upfront and approving change orders rapidly, which improves schedule certainty and helps ensure vessels are mission-ready upon delivery.

Design Commonality and Operational Expertise

The MRIV design is based on the National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), which were constructed at HPSI under TOTE Services' management. The MRIV shares the same hull design and exhibits approximately 70% commonality with the established NSMV design. This commonality is intended to mitigate construction risks and facilitate a quicker, more reliable building process, MarineLink / Maritime Reporter noted. HPSI will leverage its existing active production line, supply chain, and workforce from the NSMV programme for the MRIV construction.

TOTE Services, which currently manages and operates MARAD and MDA vessels such as the Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, brings operational and technical expertise to the MRIV programme. The new MRIV vessels are intended to replace the Pacific Tracker, built in 1965, and the Pacific Collector, built in 1970, both of which presently support missile range instrumentation missions. The programme represents a collaboration between the Department of Transportation, the Department of War, and the MDA, operating under an existing VCM contract between MARAD and TOTE Services. The first MRIV is scheduled for delivery in 2030.