Marathon Construction Corp recently completed a $15.5M replacement for the UCSD Nimitz Marine Facility (MarFac) in Point Loma. The old facility, built in 1974, was demolished in 2014. MarFac is the homeport for the UCSD Scripps Institute of Oceanography fleet of deep-sea research vessels.

Designed by Bay Area marine facility consultant Ben C. Gerwick Inc and locally based Triton Engineers, the new 30k SF facility can berth up to seven ships at a time and FLIP, a research facility, along with a new 365-foot-long finger pier and 279-foot-long quay wall. It provides complete support for berthing ships, including power, potable water, telecom, broadband and other utilities, according to the Scripps Institute. Located on nearly six acres in Point Loma, MarFac serves as the logistical and technical support hub for Scripps' worldwide ocean research program.

Shown above at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Nimitz Marine Facility are San Diego mayor's representative John Ly, Scripps director Margaret Leinen, Scripps associate director Bruce Appelgate, UCSD chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla and California state Sen. Marty Block.

Administrative offices for Ship Operations and Marine Technical Support also are located at MarFac, as well as machine shops, instrument repair and calibration facilities, scientific staging and short-term storage areas, shipping/receiving facilities and a host of other specialized capabilities that support Scripps' ocean research around the globe. In addition to Scripps research vessels, MarFac supports other vessels in the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) when they visit San Diego. [SIO]