The ability of ship repair yards to quickly, efficiently and effectively get ships in and out in the least possible amount of time is cornerstone to their very existence. Southwest Marine in San Diego has recently adopted an advanced, automated floating dry dock control system, which promises to ensure these lofty goals are met. In May 1999, Randy Jaeger a project manager at Southwest Marine (SWM) in San Diego, Calif., contacted IDAC West to discuss retroffitting their floating dry dock with a new automatic control system. SWM's 22,000-ton Floating Dry Dock, known as "Pride of San Diego" that is typically used for Naval Ship repair, had an existing control system that had become outdated and difficult to maintain.