Marine Group Boat Works to repower San Diego Harbor Police fireboats

Current engines reached the end of their respective lifecycles; port district authorizes $398,000 for replacements.

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 them bowing out later in the process.

Marine Group Boat Works out of Chula Vista ultimately won the bidding process; its $398,000 bid submission was originally the third lowest out of the four under consideration. The Chula Vista boatyard was recognized for being a port district tenant. Its specialties include haul-outs, bottom paints, surveying, vessel engine repowering, mechanical repairs, propeller service and custom fabrications.

“[Marine Group] is a port tenant and a family-owned business that has been serving the greater San Diego Maritime Industry as a boat builder and repair facility for [more than] 35 years. They provide full-service boat and super yacht refit and repair occupying over 15 acres of land and water within the Port jurisdiction area, located at the southern part of the San Diego Bay (in addition to a second location in San Jose Del Cabo),” port district staff said about the successful bidder. “[The boatyard] specializes in refits, repairs and new construction of boats up to 220 feet long and is recognized worldwide for its 665-ton travel lift.”

The agreement between Marine Group Boat Works and the port district will be effective from Jan. 20 to June 15, 2020.

Breakwater International California ($358,405.74) and South Coast Shipyard ($393,350) submitted lower bids but withdrew their respective offers.

“Breakwater International California … rescinded their proposal because they could not honor the price they bid. South Coast Shipyard … submitted a proposal for $393,350 and also rescinded their bid for the same reason,” port district staff said in a report to commissioners.

Adept Process Services was the fourth bid; the company sought $440,762 from the port district.

The resolution was approved as part of the board’s consent calendar.

One thought on “Marine Group Boat Works to repower San Diego Harbor Police fireboats

  • January 30, 2019 at 3:17 pm
    Permalink

    It is “Cummins”, not “Cummings”…

    Reply

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