They seek to develop a boat repair center

Between loading docks 15 and 16 of Isla Grande, in San Juan, there is a dry dock that, after 20 years in disuse, is the protagonist of a request for proposals process (RFP, in English) to repair it and turn it into a maintenance, repair and reconditioning service center for vessels, including yachts and megayachts.

Making the announcement yesterday, the CEO of the Port Authority, Joel Pizá, estimated that the project has the potential to generate a private investment of $ 20 million, the creation of 400 direct and indirect jobs and an annual economic impact of $ 15.9 million.

The RFP process began yesterday, so interested companies will have until October 17 to present their proposals. “We will be examining them from October to November to select the preferred proponent,” Pizá reported. “Before the end of December we should be awarding the contract to the winning company.”

The official stressed that the request for proposals is not to create a public-private alliance and that the public corporation that he directs will continue as the owner of the dry dock, also called the careening dock or “dry dock”, for which it will generate income through its lease. “The Ports Authority does not have the money to repair it and that is why we are going to a free market process to seek funds from private companies so that they can restore it,” he explained.

It was informed that there will be a committee that will assist in the selection of the proposal. This, in turn, will have a technical subcommittee that will have among its members spokespersons for companies that have operations in the San Juan docks.

The levee, which is approximately 600 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 26 feet deep, was built by the island’s government in the early 1940s and used by the United States Navy during World War II. . It has been owned by the Ports Authority since the late 1990s and, at the moment, there are disused boats on the dock, such as the Cayo Norte boat, which previously provided transportation service from Fajardo to the municipality islands of Vieques and Culebra.

Due to its dimensions, it has the capacity to service vessels up to 400 feet long. For this reason, both Pizá and the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, Manuel Laboy, agreed that the development of the facility will serve to attract megayachts.

According to Laboy, last year 79 megayachts visited the coast of Puerto Rico, 53 more than in 2018. He added that more could be attracted if there were a facility on the island where this type of vessel could be maintained.

Pizá indicated that this project relieves merchants because they could repair their boats in Puerto Rico. He added that currently, businesses operating in Puerto Rico have to use facilities in New Orleans, the Bahamas or the Virgin Islands for repair and maintenance of their ships, which entails more expenses.

“If we open a lawsuit to bring boats to repair to Puerto Rico, many academic and technical institutions will offer courses to those who wish to train because there will be a job opportunity,” said Pizá.

He indicated that under previous government administrations an attempt was made to develop the dam, but none of those efforts were successful. “This RFP is only going to be from the dry dock. It is not tied to other projects, ”said Pizá. “This will give you a better chance of success.”

The dock works by means of a gate that opens to allow entry of a vessel that needs to be pulled out of the water for repair. Once inside the dam, the gate closes and the water is removed by means of a pumping system. The boat remains stranded dry while being repaired. The dock is then filled with water to allow the ship to exit.

In addition to the dry dock, the property that will be part of the RFP will include four abandoned buildings located on Pier 15.

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