POINT LOMA, Calif. –
Editor’s note: This article was adapted from the original article, "NAVSUP FLC San Diego Celebrates MILCON P-1306 Completion, Dedicates New Fuel Pier," by Candice Villarreal, director of Office of Corporate Communications.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication was held for a new Defense Fuel Support Point at Point Loma in San Diego, California, Feb. 9.
The double-decker fuel pier is the first of its kind; developed with evolving environmental and seismic standards in mind and boasting a 75-year minimum service life design.
"The $84 million military construction renovation project was awarded in 2013 as part of a series of fuel facilities upgrades aimed at extending facility life expectancy, reducing operating costs, providing increased fuel storage capability and improving overall safety," said Defense Logistics Agency Energy Americas West Deputy Director John Phinisey.
The finished project was the result of extensive collaboration between DLA Energy, Naval Supply Center Fleet Logistics Center San Diego, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Burns and McDonnell, and NOVA-Schimmick.
"Fuels and warfighter readiness go hand-in-hand," said NAVSUP FLC San Diego Commanding Officer Navy Capt. Michelle Morse during the ceremony. "This new pier was built to play a pivotal role in the future of our fleet. It is going to keep our Navy and allied forces prepared and equipped to successfully execute training missions and real-life contingencies beyond the next generation of warfighters."
With 17 fueling stations, the 1,100-foot pier is equipped to issue JP-5 jet fuel, marine diesel fuel, and lubricating oils, while also having the capability to off-load contaminated petroleum products. The more than 44 million pounds of concrete poured during construction permitted a pier stature that will allow for a two-foot increase in ocean levels, support 100,000 deadweight tons, and accommodate massive mobile cranes and forklifts while topping vessels off at a transfer rate of about 300,000 gallons per hour.
"When you are in the business of providing 400 million gallons of fuel per year, it is absolutely critical to have the most advanced equipment and facilities available," Morse said. "The Navy and its customers are going to benefit from even safer, more environmentally-conscious fueling evolutions moving forward."
Military Sealift Command auxiliary dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE 7) served as a fitting backdrop as it took on more than 600,000 gallons of diesel fuel during the ceremony.
DLA Energy and DLA Installation Support for DLA Energy are jointly charted and responsible for funding and overseeing the maintenance, repair, sustainment, restoration, modernization and recapitalization of the military’s fuel infrastructure that contains DLA fuel.
The DFSP Point Loma fuel pier upgrade is one of many DLA Energy projects that recapitalize and reinvest in energy structures.