In-Service Vessel Sustainment Project Resident Office Baltimore celebrates change of command

/ Published June 17, 2026

 

Cmdr. Nathaniel Dufresne assumed the duties of commanding officer of In-Service Vessel Sustainment Project Resident Office (ISVS PRO) Baltimore on June 4. Dufresne relieved the former commanding officer, Capt. (sel) Justin Smith, at a change of command ceremony held at Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland.

A change of command ceremony is a time-honored military tradition that transfers authority and responsibility to a new leader, demonstrating organizational continuity. The ISVS PRO Baltimore oversees work at the Yard for the ISVS program, which consists of projects designed to help ships and boats continue to execute missions efficiently, remedy obsolescence issues and in some cases extend the planned service lives of vessels.

Upholding devotion to surface fleet readiness, Smith led onsite program assurance and stakeholder integration over a $780 million ISVS recapitalization portfolio. He prioritized schedule completion investments for fleet mission upgrades to align legacy asset readiness with national security objectives.

Smith pioneered the first main diesel engine renewal on a 270-foot medium endurance cutter, redefining public shipyard technical capacity and laying the foundation for the $319 million modernization program, which serves as a bridge to the next-generation cutter fleet.

He led the integration, outfitting and testing of the MK38 weapons system onboard the 270-foot Famous-class cutters, improving defense capabilities for assets in the Indo-Pacific and Eastern Caribbean. He also managed program milestones for the 16-ship, 225-foot seagoing buoy tender major maintenance availability program. His efforts led to on-time delivery at $25 million below the acquisition program baseline budget, improving aids to navigation and icebreaking capabilities that facilitate $5.4 trillion in annual maritime commerce.

Dufresne is new to the role of commanding officer, but he has extensive experience with the ISVS PRO as the unit’s executive officer.

“As I step from executive officer to commanding officer, my focus remains steady: project ownership, technical mastery and dedication to the well-being of our team and your families,” Dufresne said during his remarks. “We have tremendous challenges in front of us as the ISVS portfolio expands here at the Yard.”

For more information: In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program page