The proposed project is for the repair of two existing mooring dolphins located within the Maritime Museum of San Diego leasehold at 1492 N Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101, adjacent to the North Embarcadero Promenade.
The two mooring dolphins were originally built in the 1980s and consist of four 18-inch steel piles supporting a concrete deck. The decks have a mooring cleat located on the top and pad eye located on the face of the deck. Each dolphin has a 12-inch diameter fender stanchion on the north side to provide support for the ferry Berkeley during mooring. Guide piles anchored on the south faces of the dolphins support a floating dock that runs from the North Embarcadero to the west end of the Berkeley.
An above-water and underwater inspection conducted by Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger, Inc. and L3 Engineering on January 22, 2026, found that the east and west mooring dolphins are in need of repair due to damage that has significantly reduced the load-carrying capacities of the dolphins. The inspection recommended repairs should be performed with reasonable urgency.
Work would occur above, at and below the waterline but would not extend to the bay floor. The heaviest corrosion occupies a band approximately 4 ft high beginning about 4.5 ft below the deck soffit and the piles below the waterline exhibit only minor coating loss and shallow pitting. However, cleaning and jacket installation would occur along 20 ft of the piles. Specific work to complete the proposed project would include the following:
Pile Repairs
Mobilize a dive spread, floating work platforms, crew, materials and containment to the Museum and complete all safety and access submittals.
Mechanically clean the top 20 linear feet of each of the eight piles to remove marine growth, corrosion by-product, loose scale and other bond inhibiting material over the full circumference, to the extent of the jacket.
Furnish and install steel reinforcing cages around each pile in accordance with FX-70 installation details, positioned to span the deteriorated band and develop into sound steel above and below it.
Install 24 inch inside diameter Denso SeaShield FX-70 FRP jackets on stand-offs, close the tongue and groove seam and seal the top and bottom of the annulus. Jackets would not extend to the bay floor.
Pump the annular space full of SeaShield underwater grout, verify complete fill and finish the top bevel seal.
Clean up and remove all debris and packaging generated by the repairs.
Steel Bracing Replacement Above the Waterline
Remove the corroded fender stanchion bracing at Piles 1-B and 2-B on both dolphins and replace in kind.
Remove the failed and corroded floating dock guide connections and walers at Piles 1-A and 2-A on both dolphins and replace in kind.
All replacement steel to be hot dip galvanized (equivalent to the existing) with stainless steel fasteners.
All work would be performed over water from the existing floating dock and a 20-foot x 20-foot floating work platform, which would be moored to the existing floating dock at the facility; no other vessels would be moored at the site.
Temporary Construction Best Management Practices (BMPs) would be implemented to protect water quality throughout the duration of the repair activities as follows:
Equipment-specific secondary containment. The grout mixing and pumping station would be set within a portable spill containment berm on the deck of the floating work platform, with drip pans or containment trays beneath the mixer, pump and all powered equipment. Containment would be provided at the source - at each piece of equipment and material - so that no runoff reaches the deck edge or the water.
Closed placement system. All mixed grout would be pumped directly from the mixer into the sealed FX-70 jacket annulus through fitted pumping ports. The jackets would be closed forms with bottom seals in place before pumping begins; no grout is placed into open water.
Material handling. Bagged grout and epoxy components would be staged on spill containment pallets on the floating work platform and kept covered until use.
Equipment washout. Mixer and tool washout would be collected in a watertight washout container on the platform and disposed of upland. No washout or rinse water would be discharged to the bay.
Spill response. A spill kit would be maintained on the floating work platform, and no fueling would be performed over water.
Housekeeping. All debris and packaging generated by the work would be collected daily and removed from the site. The platform deck would be cleaned at the end of each shift.
Personal protective equipment. All team members would wear the proper personal protective equipment for the task in accordance with the job hazard analysis, including USCG-approved work vests for personnel working over water.
The contractor would inspect the BMP-related equipment each morning before operations begin and would replace containment berms, trays and pallets as required to maintain effective containment. These BMPs would be temporary construction measures and would be removed at demobilization.
The repair described above would be a structural repair that would restore load path across the deteriorated section of each pile rather than simply coating or protecting what remains. This repair would return the dolphins to service for a minimum of ten additional years.
The Museum would remain open and the floating dock would remain in public use throughout the repair process. All work would be performed from the existing floating dock and from punts - small floating work platforms - positioned alongside the dolphins. No vessels would be moored or operated at the site and no berthing or vessel staging would be required. The contractor would occupy only a portion of the dock width at any one time and would maintain a clear, continuous pedestrian route past the work area for the duration of the proposed project. Public access along the floating dock would remain open. The work area would be delineated and controlled at all times and all equipment, hoses, umbilicals and materials would be kept clear of the pedestrian route.
Construction would take approximately (10) days and would commence in October 2026. All work would be performed during daytime working hours, Monday through Friday. Daily start times would be coordinated with the Museum to suit dock operations, events and visitor traffic.
Work would take place during the daytime only, Monday through Friday. Daily start times would be coordinated with the Museum to accommodate dock operations, events and visitor traffic. All in-water work would be performed by a surface-supplied commercial dive team under the direction of a California Registered Civil Engineer, who would be on site as required to verify conditions as exposed and to accept each pile before the jacket is closed. Field operations would be contingent upon safe weather, sea state, tide, current, underwater visibility and diving conditions.
Due to its nature and limited scope, construction of the proposed project would generate a minor amount of vehicle trips and would require limited use of equipment. Therefore, impacts related to air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, and transportation and traffic are not anticipated to occur. Furthermore, the Applicant would be responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding construction demolition debris, hazards and hazardous materials, and stormwater.
