USS Howard (DDG 83)The guided-missile destroyer
USS Howard (DDG 83) is saving more than 10,000 man-hours a year since it began testing 10 virtually maintenance-free quick acting watertight doors two years ago. The quick acting watertight doors, called Mafo doors after the Netherlands-based company Mafo Holtkamp, are making a big impression on Sailors in the fleet. "The new doors work a lot better. They don't fail, they don't wear out," said
Damage Controlman 1st Class Rick Nelson.
Damage Controlman 1st Class With a stainless steel shell, an internal dogging system, and self-lubricating moving parts, the doors require virtually no maintenance, said
Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jason Luke, a damage control petty officer aboard Howard.
Electronics Technician 2nd Class "I definitely see a huge savings with the Mafo doors in terms of maintenance," he said.
The Navy estimates saving at least 1,000 man-hours per year per door. "It is a huge reduction in man-hours. It allows the ship's personnel who work on the doors to focus more on their jobs, not collateral duties," said Lt. Adrian Barefield, Howard's damage control assistant. Seventy-eight of the high-tech doors have been installed on nine Navy destroyers. Eight Mafo doors will be installed on
DDG 102, the Navy's newest destroyer under construction. After
DDG 102, the Navy plans on installing each new DDG with 163 Mafo doors – nearly all of the watertight doors aboard. Additionally, the amphibious transport dock ship
USS San Antonio (LPD 17) had 55 Mafo exterior doors installed, and the Navy plans to install the new doors on each ship in the San Antonio-class.
USS San Antonio (LPD 17)
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