After its long service life, on February 20, Electric Boat’s Graving Dock 3 (GD3) pontoon left Electric Boat and traveled up the Thames River to its new home at Mohawk Northeast, Inc. in Groton. In 1978, the pontoon was certified for launching Ohio-class submarines. The pontoon is a 550’ x 105’ steel box weighing 5,000 long tons that was raised and lowered within GD3. When raised, a submarine can be rolled onto the pontoon deck and lowered into GD3 in preparation for float-off.
Since its certification, EB’s pontoon launched 18 Ohio, three Seawolf and 14 Virginia-class submarines. One Los Angeles-class boat, Jacksonville (SSN 699), was launched using the pontoon as a test prior to the launch of SSBN/GN 726, Ohio. In addition, several boats undergoing maintenance and modernization were dry-docked in GD3 including USS Virginia (SSN 774) and NR-1, which were dry-docked in GD3 simultaneously in May of 2007; USS Dallas (SSN 700), which was dry-docked in GD3 March 2007 and USS Memphis (SSN 691), which was dry-docked in GD3 in January 2007.
After SSN 799, Idaho, left GD3 in December 2024, the pontoon was de-certified and preparations began to ready its removal.
“This pontoon outhaul was truly a team sport,” said Pete DiNapoli, senior manager of Ships Management. “This required support from Docking Operations, Facilities, Engineering, Naval Architects, Program Office, Operations, Risk Assessment Engineering, Planning, Safety, Environmental, EBFD, Transportation, Optical Tooling, EB Security, Temporary Services, Tug Operators, Mohawk Northeast and Ships Management, demonstrating unity of effort across Electric Boat.”
At a high level, the outhaul work included removing the pontoon’s bearings, making it watertight, which took the most time and effort, and adding bumpers on the dock and the pontoon to move it safely within GD3 as the team was working with inches of clearance. Since Electric Boat had never removed a pontoon before, the team conducted a series of table-top exercises and a dry run to ensure success.
A new pontoon is being constructed at Bollinger Shipyard in Louisiana and will be installed in Graving Dock 3 this summer.
Rayha Report Ep. 20: 2026 EB Signing Days
Electric Boat held recent Signing Day ceremonies at Cranston West High School on May 21 and the Garde Arts Center in New London on May 28. EB President Mark Rayha spoke with students about their decision to join EB and educators who prepare their students for careers in shipbuilding. Click here to see the latest installment of the Rayha...Continue reading→
Save the Date: CT Health Fairs Kick Off June 9
A Message From Dan Vieira and Kathleen Heller At EB, Safety and Wellness go far beyond meeting basic compliance standards. Our focus is on building a culture where employees can thrive in every aspect of their lives. Prioritizing wellbeing is vital to being our best on the job and at home with our families. ...Continue reading→
Supporting Our Neighbors Impacted by The Ledges Apartments Fire
Early Sunday morning, a devastating fire occurred at The Ledges Apartments in Groton. Eighteen fire departments, including Electric Boat’s, responded. Thanks to the heroism of these first responders no residents were injured. The fire did, however, displace more than approximately 50 residents and destroyed or damaged 44 units in the building. Several EB employees were...Continue reading→
Pride Month Celebrations at Electric Boat
June 1st marks the start of Pride Month, a time for millions of LGBTQ+ individuals and allies around the world to come together in celebration and reflection. From film festivals and art shows, to marches and concerts, Pride is a vibrant tribute to LGBTQ+ culture, history and the relentless spirit of activism. It’s a chance...Continue reading→
Celebrating Our Next Generation of Shipbuilders
The Next Generation of Shipbuilders Takes the Stage Over the past two weeks, Electric Boat welcomed the next generation of shipbuilders at our Rhode Island and Connecticut Signing Day celebrations, marking the beginning of a journey that will help shape the future of our company and our nation’s defense. Held at Cranston High School West...Continue reading→
Update: Gold Star Bridge Project – Upcoming Traffic Impacts
CT DOT is preparing to enter the next major phase of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project, and employees should expect new traffic patterns that may affect travel to and from EB’s Groton and New London facilities. A crossover will direct two northbound lanes onto the southbound bridge, as shown in this CT DOT...Continue reading→
PCU Utah Floats Off
PCU Utah (SSN 801) floated off the pontoon in Graving Dock #3 on Sunday, May 17, her hull seeing water for the first time. Huge congratulations to every Electric Boat shipbuilder whose hard work and dedication brought Utah to this major milestone!
Pathways to the Deep Officially Opens at Mystic Aquarium
On Monday, May 11th, we officially cut the ribbon on Pathways to the Deep, a brand-new interactive exhibit at Mystic Aquarium that connects ocean science, technology, exploration and careers through hands-on learning and discovery. This collaborative effort between General Dynamics Electric Boat, Mystic Aquarium, the Submarine Industrial Base and Build Submarines was created to spark curiosity and...Continue reading→
Electric Boat featured in ADC’s ‘Homefront’ Video Series
General Dynamics Electric Boat is featured in the latest episode of the Association of Defense Communities’ (ADC) Homefront video series, which examines military communities across the country. The episode highlights Electric Boat’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Navy, the generations of shipbuilders who power our mission and the opportunities ahead for the next wave of...Continue reading→
Rayha Report Ep. 19: Operations Leadership Hiring Initiative
In his latest Rayha Report, EB President Mark Rayha speaks with Chief of Talent Acquisition Meredith Kyle on the ways the company is boosting operations leadership hiring. Joining them is Konrad Wennberg and Mike Simmons, who provide insight on their internal moves from engineering to operations supervisor positions.
