March 28, 2018
Chula Vista Press ReleasesAs Ferry Ridership Increases, San Francisco Bay Area Commuters Can Anticipate New and Improved Ferry
San Diego’s Marine Group Boat Works Awarded $4M Contract for Complete Makeover of WETA’s-Ferry MV Peralta
(Chula Vista, CA, March 28, 2017): As more people continue to flock to the Bay Area for its robust economy and high-profile tech jobs, worsening vehicular traffic conditions are making commuters turn to ferry services to get to their destinations. Fortunately, there are plenty of benefits to taking the ferry: scenic views, a stress-free experience, and best of all, no bridge traffic or toll fees. Ferry –service is becoming so popular that in 
the last few years, the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), which oversees the San Francisco Bay Ferry, has seen a 94% growth in ridership since 2012. To accommodate the growing demand for ferries, WETA is expanding and refurbishing its current fleet of vessels.
Part of that plan involves awarding Marine Group Boat Works, LLC, (“MGBW”) a family-owned boatbuilding and repair facility with two locations on the San Diego Bay, a contract to fully refurbish the MV Peralta, a 34-meter ferry built in 2001 and acquired by WETA in 2011. The MV Peralta contract, valued over $4 million, was awarded by WETA in December 2017. Shortly after, MGBW’s delivery crew picked up the vessel and drove her down the coast to San Diego within 24 hours. The vessel is currently out of the water and docked for refurbishment at MGBW’s15-acre facility in Chula Vista, CA. Work for the project is expected to be completed June 2018. After the repairs, Bay Area passengers can expect to see fully renovated passenger cabins and bathrooms, new exterior paint and control system upgrades.
Economic Impact
The impact of this project will be seen at all levels. The refurbishment will utilize MGBW’s team of inhouse tradespeople consisting of certified 
welders, shipfitters, pipefitters, mechanics and painters to perform a majority of the work, with the remaining portion subcontracted out to local subcontractors specializing in interior refurbishments and electronics. Business trips to San Diego by the vessel’s operators and project management representatives from San Francisco while the MV Peralta undergoes repairs will also be plentiful, contributing to the local tourism industry. According to the 2015 report titled, “Economic Importance of U.S. the Shipbuilding and Repairing Industry,” released by the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), each direct job in the shipbuilding industry leads to another 2.6 jobs nationally. For every dollar worth of goods and services spent leads to another $2.49 in the wider economy. As it relates to the PERALTA, that’s an economic impact of more than $10 million in just four short months. Furthermore, the contract has 100% Buy America requirements. In other words, all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the refurbishment must be produced in the United States.
All in all, commuters should rejoice as improvements to the MV Peralta indicate the continuing progress of the major expansion in the Bay Area ferry service.
About Water Emergency Transportation Authority
WETA was established in 2007 by the State of California with a mandate to operate a comprehensive San Francisco Bay Area public water transit system, and to plan and coordinate the water transit response to a regional emergency. Under the brand “San Francisco Bay Ferry”, WETA carries over 2.7 million passengers per year on routes serving the cities of Vallejo, Oakland, South San Francisco, Alameda and San Francisco.
About Marine Group Boat Works
Marine Group Boat Works is a family-owned, full-service boatbuilder and repair company with two facilities on the San Diego Bay and one facility in Los Cabos. It’s the only solar-powered boatbuilder in the world. 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. Between the three facilities, it employs over 185 ABS-certified welders, shipfitters, pipefitters, mechanics, painters and equipment operators. Commercial customers include U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, NASSCO, City of San Diego, Golden Gate Bridge and Ferry District, Foss Maritime, Pacific Tugboat, Catalina Express and more.
For more information, visit www.marinegroupboatworks.com.
