Portsmouth Naval Shipyard hiring 715 workers as Navy tries to catch up on sub maintenance

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard says it's in the process of hiring more than 700 workers.

The shipyard announced Thursday that recruiting is underway with a goal of completing the hiring by the end of September.

Capt. William Greene, the shipyard commander, says the hiring of 715 workers will boost the shipyard workforce from 4,700 to 5,200 civilian employees, once attrition is factored in.

The Navy shipyard that overhauls nuclear submarines is located on an island in Kittery, Maine. The workforce is divided roughly evenly between Maine and New Hampshire.

The Naval Sea Systems Command announced in October that budget sequestration had contributed to "significant" maintenance delays for the Navy's fleet of nuclear submarines.