News

(San Diego, Calif – November 8, 2021): Marine Group Boat Works (MGBW), a San Diego-based full-service boat construction and repair facility, finished building 11 new 60’ Aluminum dive boats for the U.S. Navy. The project was designed in collaboration with the Navy and its divers who will operate the boats. Constructing the new vessels took five years to complete, with MGBW winning the $32 million award in 2015.

“Our reputation for high-quality work and innovative designs won us this bid. With the skill and expertise our team has from repairing and building vessels, we were able to complete all the Navy’s custom specifications and stay on schedule,” said Todd Roberts, president of MGBW.

The dive boats are the first of their class; specifically designed to support the needs of Navy divers. Specifications include a high-grade aluminum hull with rubber fenders, hydraulic compressors, heated suits, and dulled edges (due to the sensitivity of dive equipment). All 11 boats were built identically with minor improvements over each hull and will be primarily used in shelter bays and waterways.

MGBW passed all quality assurance reports and trials throughout their contract with the Navy. Allen Bellini, their New Construction Manager, assured that they have always met their contract requirements and that MGBW’s vessels were uniquely perfected to suit the Navy’s requirements. MGBW designed the hull, while the outfitting and key features were designed in unison with Navy personnel, ensuring the boats were engineered to be the ideal vessels for specific and complicated Navy dive missions.

The last of the dive boats are scheduled for delivery with National City-based shipping company Pasha Hawaii, a trusted leader in transportation and logistics management. Roberts said, “It takes a village to build and deliver a boat to the Navy. For us, it takes the San Diego working waterfront working its magic together—Marine Group builds it, Pasha delivers it—another great example of the synergy behind a true industrial working waterfront.”

For more information, please contact Anthony Rodriguez: communications@marinegroupbw.com or (619) 427 6767

Marine Group Boat Works, LLC is a full-service, boat building and repair

 company with two facilities in San Diego and one in Los Cabos. Its headquarters in Chula Vista consists of 15 acres of land and water; 2,100 feet of docks; a 665-ton travelift; fabrication and welding environments for both steel and aluminum and several mobile and production equipment to accommodate vessels up to 220 feet. Its sister yards in National City and San Jose del Cabo encompass over 300,000 square feet of land and water and feature 300- and 150-ton travelifts respectively. Between the three facilities, it employs over 165 ABS-certified welders, shipfitters, pipefitters, mechanics, painters and equipment operators. Customers include the U.S. Navy, Golden Gate Bridge & Transportation District, Port of San Diego, San Diego Harbor Police, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, San Diego Maritime Museum and more. Visit www.marinegroupbw.com for more information.

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