Steamboat Wharf Dolphin Repair Contract Signed For $371,000

The inspection and repair of the concrete dolphin that collapsed at Steamboat Wharf earlier this month after an impact from a departing ferry will cost the Steamship Authority at least $400,000, and the north slip will remain closed for at least another month while the replacement project gets underway.

During Tuesday's Board of Governors meeting, the Steamship's chief operating officer Mark H. Amundsen briefed the board on the situation, revealing the repair contract with Coastal Marine Construction, LLC, came in at $371,067, and the dive inspection of the pilings cost $32,000.

The project timeline provided by the Steamship Authority on Tuesday indicates Coastal Marine Construction will begin to mobilize for the project next week, with a target completion date of May 16th. That would mean the north slip of Steamboat Wharf would remain out of commission for another month.

A new concrete "clump" will need to be attached to the existing pilings, which were determined to be intact and able to be reused following the inspection. The old fender will also be reattached once the structure is rebuilt.

The incident occurred on Saturday, April 5, and Amundsen stated the impact occurred as the M/V Eagle was turning at the north slip of Steamboat Wharf.

"It contacted the reaction block and not the fender, that was the failure," Amundsen said.

The structure is one of eleven at Steamboat Wharf that were installed decades ago to assist the Steamship Authority vessels while docking. While the concrete dolphins are designed to absorb impacts by the Steamship Authority vessels as they are pulling into the slips, the collision with the port side of the M/V Eagle ferry as it was departing the north slip at 5:30 p.m. on April 5 knocked the concrete "clump" clean off its metal pilings.

Amundsen said the reaction block and fender that collapsed had been installed in 2016. The incident remains under investigation, and according to Amundsen, the Steamship Authority is planning additional inspections of the remaining dolphins at Steamboat Wharf.

The 148,000-pound concrete dolphin that collapsed was removed from the harbor floor by AGM Marine Contractors last Friday.

While repairs are underway, the Steamship Authority will be forced to use the south slip - typically used for the fast ferry the M/V Iyanough - for all vessel traffic into Steamboat Wharf.