The founding NSRP began as an R&D program in 1971 under the guidance of MARAD (U.S. Maritime Administration). The Program’s initial goal was to respond to the direction given to the Secretary of Commerce in the Merchant Marine Act of 1970 [Section 212(c)] to collaborate with shipbuilders in developing plans for the economic construction of vessels. To provide industry management and technical input, MARAD selected the SNAME (Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers) T&R (Technical & Research) Ship Production Committee to carry out these responsibilities. Since its inception the NSRP’s goal has remained the same: to reduce production costs and to accelerate delivery schedules through improved shipbuilding methods.

  • 1971-79 — NSRP funded and administered by MARAD
  • 1980-85 — NSRP administered by MARAD, funded by Navy Manufacturing Technology Program (ManTech), which was under Naval Materials Commmand Office
  • 1986-91 — NSRP administered by Naval Surface Warfare Center-Carderock (NSWCC), funded by by ManTech, moved to Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN)
  • 1992-94 — NSRP funded by ManTech, now administered at Office of Naval Research (ONR)
  • 1995-97 — ManTech and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) MARITECH (Maritime Technology) jointly funded NSRP, again with NSWCC managing the program in cooperation with MARAD and ONR
  • 1998-present — in early 1998, NSRP moved to NAVSEA, where funding, administration and management functions were performed. In mid-1998, the NSRP-ASE collaboration of (then) nine shipyards was formed and NAVSEA charged the collaboration to manage the program.

For more information: NSRP History