An Roinn Cosanta Óglaigh na hÉireann Department of Defence Defence Forces

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2. Naval Service Vessel Maintenance Objectives
2.1 Programme Objectives
2.2 The White Paper on Defence (2000)

1.5 Review Structure

Chapter 2 examines the objectives of Naval Service vessel maintenance and their compatibility with overall strategy.

Chapter 3 describes the Naval Service maintenance organisation, including the types of maintenance, the units, maintenance execution, maintenance management systems, and the maintenance cycle.
Chapter 4 examines maintenance costs, activities, outputs, and comments on efficiency.
Chapter 5 examines and comments on effectiveness.
Chapter 6 examines performance measurement, outlines the Naval Service Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and includes suggestions for performance indicators for the maintenance function.

2. Naval Service Vessel Maintenance Objectives

This chapter addresses terms of reference 1 and 2 of the Review, which are:

Identify Naval Service vessel maintenance objectives.
Examine the current validity of those objectives and their compatibility with the overall strategy.

2.1 Programme Objectives

The Naval Service define the objectives of Naval Service vessel maintenance as:

“To preserve Naval Service vessels in a determined state or condition, or to restore Naval Service vessels to a determined state or condition, in order to meet operational readiness and deployment targets.”
The Naval Service maintains its vessels to allow it achieve its operational deployment and readiness targets, and to ensure the safety of its crews and minimise harm to the environment. As for all Navies, there are no recognised international Naval/Military standards laid down to cater for vessel maintenance. The civilian standards applied in this area are ratified by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a subsidiary body of the UN, in the International Convention for the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) and prevention of Marine Pollution (MARPOL). While warships and troopships are generally exempt from SOLAS & MARPOL, this exemption has an important caveat:
“The present Convention shall not apply to any warship. However, each party shall ensure by the adoption of appropriate measures not impairing the operations or operational capabilities of such ships owned or operated by it, that such ships act in a manner consistent, so far as is reasonable and practicable, with the present convention”.
Irish Naval Service Vessels are maintained throughout their life with a view to ensuring a level of safety and environmental protection that is at least equivalent to SOLAS and MARPOL. Ships are subjected to a programme of regular inspections by Classification Society representatives in order to provide independent assurance of the level of safety, environmental protection and overall vessel sea worthiness. In essence, the civil regime, in so far as is reasonably practical for naval vessels, is used as a minimum standard benchmark for vessels of the Naval Service with respect to safety, prevention of pollution and to minimise adverse effects on the environment.
In addition, Naval Service vessels are maintained to ensure they can meet their operational targets. The configuration of Naval Service vessels is militarily focussed with systems that significantly differ from civilian vessels. As military vessels, the breadth of maintenance differs from civilian vessels and includes maintenance of weapons systems, electronics, communications, boarding craft and surveillance and monitoring equipment.
When Naval Service vessels conduct overseas visits, regional agreements and requirements of the host port State must be fulfilled. For example, host States like Canada or the USA may demand compliance with the local environmental and/or safety provisions, or the presentation of MARPOL certificates. This is set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The operational readiness and deployment targets for the Naval Service are grounded in Defence policy as outlined in the White Paper on Defence and in the delivery of outputs as outlined in the Department of Defence and Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2008 – 2010, the Defence Forces’ Annual Plan, and the Defence Annual Output Statement 2008.

2.2 The White Paper on Defence (2000)

The White Paper on Defence (2000) sets out the policy framework for Defence over the period to end 2010. It outlines the requirement for the Naval Service to provide for contingent and actual maritime defence requirements.

Fishery protection was identified as being the primary activity of the Naval Service on a day to day basis, accounting for over 90% of Naval Service operations^⁹. In addition, the Naval Service’s ability to undertake tasks at sea, led the Government to decide that:
“the emphasis will be on utilisation and development of the Naval Service to contribute to the maximum to all of the State’s requirements in the maritime domain”^¹⁰.
Analysis of the Defence and Security environment in 2000 led the Government to decide that:
“..the Naval Service will be developed around the provision of a modern 8 ship flotilla. There will be a process of continuous investment and vessel replacement to ensure that the flotilla is capable of meeting military and other requirements. Ireland does not face a maritime-based threat for which the huge costs of warships could be justified. The military requirements of the Naval Service are largely of a contingent nature and the general approach will be to ensure an appropriate level of retained capability. The requirement is for a flexible force with the capacity to deploy vessels at sea quickly and to sustain as many days on patrol as possible. While a major alteration in the level and type of vessel provided is not contemplated, there is the potential to maximise capabilities, within the broad available financial envelope. This can be achieved by a range of efficiency and effectiveness measures designed to achieve more patrol days and to utilise existing manpower and other resources in a better way…”^¹¹.
The special review of the Naval Service, which reported in 1998 under the auspices of the Efficiency Audit Group (EAG), led to specific recommendations to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the Naval Service. The White Paper on Defence (2000) outlines the principal elements of a plan to implement these efficiency and effectiveness recommendations made by Price Waterhouse. Principal elements of this plan provided for:

A new organisational structure based on operations and support divisions with an overall manpower level of around 1,144.
A planned approach to sea / shore rotation of personnel on a two year period of commitment to sea going duties followed by a two year period away from such duties.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with principal clients such as the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources.
Regular recruitment and other measures such as schemes for the commissioning of enlisted personnel to address personnel shortfalls.
Enhancement of the Naval Service College and development of proposals for a joint initiative with Cork Institute of Technology, in order to meet changing needs and keep pace with the increased demand for maritime education and training responses.
Continuation of a programme of investment at the Naval Base to improve the buildings and other infrastructure.
Enhancement of information technology infrastructure to maximise information gathering and utilisation in line, inter alia, with EU requirements.^¹²

The Review of White Paper Implementation (2007) acknowledged that this plan had been achieved.

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