Marine Group Boat Works to repower San Diego Harbor Police fireboats

SAN DIEGO—Two marine vessels within the Port of San Diego’s Harbor Police Department’s fleet will be repowered, thanks to a resolution approved by the district’s Board of Port of Commissioners on Jan. 16. The resolution also calls for the purchase of a spare vessel engine and transmission package unit. Marine Group Boat Works, which submitted a bid last summer for $398,000, will be awarded the contract. The marine vessels were purchased for $957,780, each. Harbor Police, with the board’s approval, acquired two marine fireboats in 2012. Department of Homeland Security provided funding for the fireboats. Port district staff stated the fireboats had a lifespan of six years or 6,000 hours. The new engines would each be 6.7 liters and have an anticipated lifespan of nine years or 9,000 hours. “Harbor Police fireboats have been experiencing engine failures in their original 5.9 Cummings diesel powered engines. Oil samples on the starboard engines on Fireboats Marine 2 and Marine 5 indicate excessive wear, which necessitates engine replacement per industry standards,” port district staff stated in a report to commissioners. The port district solicited bids from companies seeking to repower the two Harbor Police marine vessels nearing the end of their lifecycles. Four companies responded, with two of...