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San Diego Harbor News

28 Dec 2023

Workboat Power: Alternatives Join Diesel to Power Current—and Future—Vessels

Crowley’s new electric tug eWolf is being built by Master Boat Builders for scheduled delivery in 2024. (Image: Crowley)

Analysts and commentators are quick to point out that fossil fuels will power maritime equipment, and indeed dominate the fueling marketplace, well into the future. However, they will do so alongside new fuels, and new technologies, that will be introduced to the maritime sector in the coming years. In its September, 2023 report “Beyond the Horizon: View of the Emerging Energy Value Chains”, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) explains that, “During the recent 80th meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80)…

02 Aug 2021

Eye on the Navy: Navy extends Life for Research Ships, but Says Farewell to FLIP

Tugs guide the Department of the Navy's Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP) from her berth at the Nimitz Marine Facility in Point Loma, Calif. (U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams/Released)

The U.S. Navy’s three Global class oceanographic research ships (AGORs) have received a new lease on life. The ships-- R/V Thomas G. Thompson (AGOR 23), R/V Roger Revelle (AGOR 24) and R/V Atlantis (AGOR 25)-- which entered service between 1991 and 1998--were built with 30-year expected service lives. Thanks to extensive overhauls on all three they have been returned to service with another 15 years of useful service.AGOR 23 is operated by the University of Washington; AGOR 24 is operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography…

24 Feb 2017

Voices: Todd Roberts, President, Marine Group Boat Works

Todd Roberts (Photo: Marine Group Boat Works)

"As a kid, I worked for our sister company, Flagship Cruises (formerly San Diego Harbor Excursion),” said Roberts. “I wanted to be a deckhand on the ferry but I was told that I was too young, so I started out sweeping the floors in the boathouse, and doing just about anything, from loading the boats to hauling line. Going to work for me was like other kids going to the Little League field. And so starts the story of Todd Roberts’ maritime career some three decades ago. Roberts graduated Cal Maritime…

09 Sep 2015

Cruise Season Kicks off in San Diego

Photo: Port of San Diego

The arrival of Celebrity Cruises' Infinity in San Diego Harbor today officially kicks off cruise season at the Port of San Diego. The 2,170-passenger cruise ship Infinity sailed into San Diego harbor today as part of a nine-night Pacific coastal cruise that begins and ends in San Francisco, making visits to Monterey, Santa Barbara, Catalina and Ensenada. The Port of San Diego currently expects 65 cruise ship arrivals over the course of its cruise season, which runs from September through May.

08 May 2015

San Diego Harbor Police Boosts International Law Enforcement

Photo: Port of San Diego

The Port of San Diego's Harbor Police Department will assist the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed April 10, 2015. The MOU was signed by Ambassador William R. Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of INL; and Harbor Police Chief Mark Stainbrook as part of the Harbor Police’s efforts to support foreign port security and fight international crime. It establishes a framework for Harbor Police to train…

04 Mar 2015

Harbor Police Rescues Stranded Sea Lion

Harbor Police officers found a sea lion wandering a roadway on February 18, 2015. After it was evaluated by SeaWorld specialists and deemed healthy, it was returned to the Pacific Ocean on February 26. (Photo: Port of San Diego)

Sea lions are a common sight in San Diego Bay, but a sea lion wandering a busy roadway and then ending up in the back of a patrol car is slightly rarer. The San Diego Harbor Police Department received a call on February 18 of a sea lion in the roadway of Harbor Island Drive, near a local restaurant. Encountering the uninjured sea lion, responding officers Christine Sperry and Luis Martinez used salmon to lure the adult female sea lion into the water. Within minutes the wayward sea lion was back up on the sidewalk and nudging Officer Sperry in with her nose.

03 Sep 2014

MN 100: Marine Group Boat Works, LLC

Marine Group Boat Works is a full-service, boat repair and new construction company with two shipyards in San Diego and one in Los Cabos. Its headquarters 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 vessels up to 220 feet. Customers include Golden Gate Bridge, Crowley Maritime, Foss Maritime, Pacific Tugboat, U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Port of San Diego, and San Diego Harbor Police.

01 Feb 2013

San Diego Boat Collision: Coast Guard Final Report

A Coast Guard boat operator failed to drive his boat consistent with standard navigation and operating procedures. The boat collision that killed an 8-year-old boy and injured 10 other boaters, on Dec. 20, 2009, ocurred during the San Diego Parade of Lights in San Diego Harbor, according to the Coast Guard final action memo. A Coast Guard 33-foot Special Purpose Craft – Law Enforcement boat was responding to a report of a grounded sailing vessel in the harbor when it collided with a 24-foot Sea Ray recreational boat carrying 13 people in San Diego Harbor. The memo  also outlined three additional contributing factors, including failure of the Coast Guard crew to perform their duties…

14 Nov 2011

High-Tech Hull Coating Receives NYSERDA Funding

Greenfield Manufacturing Inc., a Saratoga Springs chemical manufacturing company, has received New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) funding of $183,000 to help commercialize and deploy a high-tech hull coating that can improve boat engine efficiency by reducing friction. HullSpeed High Performance Coatings, a division of Greenfield, produces eco-friendly alternatives to current marine paints and coatings that can be environmentally harmful. Greenfield was established in 1998 as an industrial chemical manufacturing facility. The company matched NYSERDA’s investment. HullSpeed High Performance Coatings is currently involved in an EPA study in San Diego Harbor to determine the effectiveness of alternative, environmentally- friendly marine paints and coatings.

19 Oct 2001

Baldwin Named Director of Business Development, Harbor Services

Barry Baldwin has been named the new Director of Business Development, Harbor Services for Foss Maritime Company. Baldwin, previously Regional Director, Southern California and an 18 year veteran of Foss will be based in Long Beach and report to Steve Scalzo, President and CEO of Foss Maritime Company. “Baldwin’s in-depth experience and knowledge of the Harbor Services market will significantly augment the development and expansion of current and new Harbor Services opportunities,” said Scalzo. Dave Selga has been promoted to Regional Director, Southern California to replace Baldwin. Selga, previously Marine Superintendent, has held various positions within the company over the last 20 years.

09 Mar 2004

Coast Guard Swears in Members of AMS

On March 8, at the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-53) and Rear Admiral Kevin Eldridge, Eleventh Coast Guard District Commander presided over the ceremony recognizing the establishment of the San Diego Area MaritimeSecurity (AMS) Committee. The formal establishment of an AMS Committee is one of the key measures of Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. As we commemorate the first anniversary of the Department of Homeland Security, this event marks a significant milestone in the effort to secure one of the Nation’s most strategic ports. The AMS Committee is composed of 22 members from all levels of government, maritime industry stakeholders, and the private sector. It will be Chaired by Commander Stephen P.

22 Apr 2002

Knight & Carver Re-Launches Classic 1914 Boat

San Diego's Knight & Carver YachtCenter recently hosted the re-launch party for Pilot, a vintage 1914 Pilot-boat. More than 200 members of the San Diego Maritime Museum, plus supporters, friends and civic leaders attended the invitation-only ceremony. The event was held on the docks of Knight & Carver, located along San Diego Bay, several miles south of the Coronado Bridge. "We're extremely proud to have been selected to host this historic event," said Sampson A. Brown, chief executive officer of Knight & Carver. The 52-ft. Pilot will officially join the museum's fleet and is scheduled to begin hosting school groups on educational voyages around San Diego Bay early this summer.

20 Dec 2004

Proposed Tug Escort Rules for San Diego

The California Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would, if adopted, make a number of minor changes to the current tug escort requirements for tank vessels operating in San Diego Harbor. OSPR also released a document showing the Proposed Language and another document with the Initial Statement of Reasons for the proposal. Comments on the proposal should be submitted by January 31, 2005. (HK Law)

24 May 2005

T-AKE 1 Christened

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) auxiliary dry cargo carrier USNS Lewis and Clark, (T-AKE 1), is launched into San Diego Harbor after a christening ceremony held at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, (NASSCO) in San Diego, Calif. Lewis and Clark is the first of the newest class of underway replenishment ships built for naval service and is named in honor of the legendary explorers. Direct descendents of Capt. Meriwether Lewis and Lt. William Clark, Mrs. Jane Lewis Sale Henley and Ms. Lisa Clark, were on hand to help celebrate the launching of their ancestor's namesake. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Timothy F. Sosa (RELEASED)

28 Jul 2005

Schwarzenegger Announces $5M Port Security Grant

Governor Schwarzenegger joins Admiral Kevin J. Eldridge, USCG, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District and Matt Bettenhausen, Director, Office of Homeland Security, State of California, onboard a UTB-41 Coast Guard boat to observe coast guard port security drills. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a $5 million grant to improve port security at 11 of California's ports during a visit to the San Diego Coast Guard Joint Operations Center. "In California, we have many threat targets, including large urban areas, mass transit, railways, and international icons like the Golden Gate Bridge," said Gov. Schwarzenegger. California's ports bring in 43 percent of the nation's cargo containers.

03 Mar 2003

Goben Named First PVA Safety Award Recipient

Captain Richard Goben, Hornblower Events & Cruises, San Diego, CA has been awarded the Passenger Vessel Association and the Passenger Vessel Foundation’s first recipient of the Roger Murphy National Marine Safety Award. He was nominated by his employer, California-based Hornblower Events & Cruises. Goben was chosen over several other, well-qualified candidates by PVA's Safety & Security Committee. Ray Lyman, Chairman of the Safety Committee, believes that Goben's met all the qualifications the committee was looking for, and more importantly, "represents the attitude and commitment to safety that was the basis of Roger's philosophy when he founded the safety committee in 1990." The award is named after the late Roger Murphy…

25 Aug 1999

California Princess Delivered

California Princess, built by Freeport Shipbuilding, recently went into service for San Diego Harbor Excursions. The 115 ft. vessel was designed by DeJong & Lebet, Inc. The vessel has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. She is USCG-certified under Subchapter T for a partially protected route. Stability is adequate for all 150 passengers and 30 crew on the third deck. California Princess features a high-quality wood interior and sleek yacht look. Another version of the vessel, also engineered by DeJong & Lebet, is currently under construction at Freeport. This vessel has a 250-passenger capacity. California Princess is powered by a pair of Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines, with Twin Disc gears. Electrical power is provided by two Cummins 95 kW generator sets.