Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW) will undertake a multi-million dollar modernisation project at its 15-acre shipbuilding and refit facility in San Diego Bay, Chula Vista. The Californian shipyard says that the project's main goals are to enhance capacity in response to growing demand in the region and support its sustainability targets. 

The investment was funded in part by a Small Shipyard Grant worth more than $1.1m from the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration.

A key part of the project is a new 820tn shiplift in order to cater for its yachts over 70m. It will replace a 660tn lift that MGBW bought in 2007 that can only lift yachts up to 67m and will be the largest in the US. 

MGBW will work with Italian firm Cimolai Technology to build the new mobile telescopic boat hoist, which when operational, will use a tier 4 low-emission power source. The build of the shiplift is expected to take around 12 months, with delivery scheduled for Q4, 2024.

The boatyard’s modernisation plans are currently under review with local authorities in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.  The construction project will also include one of the largest solar panel installations on the San Diego waterfront and provide 500 kilowatts of renewable energy to yard equipment and supply power to docked boats. 

The project will also include replacing and reconfiguring all docks and dredging to restore deep-water access. The facility will remain fully operational during construction, which is set for completion in August next year.

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Marine Group Boat Works

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