SECNAV Del Toro As-Written Remarks at the DOT Ship Christening

Remarks

Good afternoon, everyone! It’s wonderful to be here with you today.

Secretary Buttigieg, thank you for your partnership in strengthening our maritime efforts, and most importantly, for your service to our Nation as a Naval Officer.

Congresswoman Scanlon, thank you for your partnership and support of our maritime services.

Administrator Phillips, I appreciate your partnership not only now, but also all those years ago when we were commissioning commanding officers of guided-missile destroyers. I’m proud to serve alongside you once again.

President Nerbovik, Philly and its shipyard has had a centuries long relationship with the Navy, and is excelling at building the Nation’s first MARAD vessels in over 60 years.

Admiral McDonald, you and your Cadets at Massachusetts Maritime are receiving a great ship to train the merchant mariners our Nation critically needs.

To all of our distinguished guests and visitors, thank you for being here for the christening of the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel PATRIOT STATE.

Securing America’s maritime prosperity is not a new mission—it is our founding mission.

Last fall, I announced a call for a new National Maritime Statecraft to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition.

Maritime Statecraft encompasses a whole-of-government effort to restore the maritime capabilities of the United States.

Last year, Secretary Buttigieg, Administrator Phillips, and I met at DOT headquarters to begin laying key groundwork for interagency collaboration, and our collective efforts have catapulted the importance of restoring America’s comprehensive maritime power to the top of the national agenda.

The innovative construction and management techniques that have driven the success of the N-S-M-V acquisition program provide valuable lessons for the Federal Government Shipbuilding Council that Administrator Phillips and I inaugurated last year. 

These advances will benefit the at-sea training of the future leaders of our United States Merchant Marine including the Cadets at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

I thank all those who answered the Nation’s call to service to ensure we remain the most dominant maritime force in the world.

Your contributions to our shipbuilding industry and maritime training are vital to our Maritime Statecraft.

Thank you, Secretary Buttigieg, for having me today.

May God bless our Sailors, Marines, civilian Mariners, our shipbuilders, and all those who support them.