TOTE Services has started building a nationwide network of shipbuilders and suppliers to support the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ Medium Landing Ship program. This initiative involves over 30 shipbuilders, equipment manufacturers, and defense contractors as it moves forward with a budget of $2.2 billion toward construction.
The company organized an LSM Industry Day in Washington, attracting firms from more than a dozen states to discuss the program’s construction timeline, technical needs, bidding process, and subcontracting opportunities.
This event is one of the first significant industry outreach efforts since TOTE was chosen in July as the Vessel Construction Manager for the program. This role means TOTE will oversee the coordination between shipyards, suppliers, and manufacturers for building up to eight Medium Landing Ships.
“The success of the Medium Landing Ship program for the Navy and Marine Corps depends on a strong and capable industrial base,” said TOTE Services President Jeff Dixon.
“With the Vessel Construction Management approach, our suppliers become essential partners, not just vendors,” Dixon noted. “Bringing this group of suppliers together is crucial for speeding up production, ensuring a stable supply chain, and maintaining cost control.”
TOTE indicated that the Industry Day aims to create a robust supply chain that can support construction across several shipyards, while ensuring a consistent vessel design and using multi-ship buying to manage costs effectively.
Among the attendees were several important shipyards for the program, such as Bollinger Shipyards, Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, and Hanwha Philly Shipyard. Other participants included Leidos Gibbs & Cox, Hanwha Defense USA, Kiewit Offshore, ABS, Alfa Laval, Fairbanks Morse Defense, L3Harris, MacGregor, Palfinger, and Schottel.
In July, the Navy awarded TOTE a contract worth up to $2.2 billion under the Vessel Construction Manager model. Instead of engaging individual shipyards separately, this model places TOTE in charge of the procurement process, allowing them to manage shipyard contracts, coordinate suppliers, and oversee costs, timelines, and deliveries.
TOTE plans to utilize this structure to spread construction across various U.S. shipyards while generating more stable demand for U.S. marine manufacturers.