Marine group boat works marine group constructs and repairs a variety of vessel types for several different market segments, with one half of its business being navy repair and boatbuilding contracts

Naval Sea Systems Command awarded Marine Group Boat Works, LLC, $633,005 on November 3, 2025, under the Improvement of Navy Ship Repair or Alterations Capability Program (CFDA 12.031) to develop and deliver a welder training and certification program targeting approximately 100 welders.

The program will train existing and prospective Marine Group employees in Tungsten Inert Gas and Metal Inert Gas welding techniques for aluminum alloy groups (5XXX and 6XXX series) used in Navy vessel construction and repair. Training covers paid instruction time, tuition, course materials, and Navy certification processes. The goal is to produce NAVSEA-certified welders qualified for Navy boatbuilding and repair projects, addressing Marine Group's workforce shortage in aluminum welding expertise and improving the company's competitive operations in the Southern California shipyard market, where Navy contractors compete with aerospace and commercial construction for skilled welders.

Marine Group Boat Works, a Chula Vista, California–based shipyard, constructs, repairs, and maintains naval vessels and small craft for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. The company operates primarily as a prime contractor under Navy blanket repair contracts and is currently building three all-aluminum vessels for Naval Sea Systems Command.

The period of performance runs through December 31, 2026. Work is performed at Marine Group Boat Works' facility in Chula Vista, California.

Marine group is currently building three all aluminum vessels for NAVSEA PEO ships, foreign military sales and holds multiple navy blanket contracts for repair. As is common in the shipbuilding industry, IT is a challenge for marine group to hire qualified welders. In the southern california area, navy contractors compete for welders not only against other shipyards but also with the commercial construction and aerospace industries. Furthermore, welding aluminum is generally more complicated than welding mild steel. Thinner materials, the need for properly cleaning the material to be welded, and the need for pre heating are just a few of the factors that complicate aluminum welding. Marine group particularly needs welders who are advanced in both TIG and MIG welding for the 5XXX and 6XXX groups of aluminum. These are types of aluminum which are primarily used in the marine industry. Therefore, an experienced welder recruited from outside the marine industry is unlikely to be certified for these materials. A welder training program is needed by marine group to increase the number of qualified welders employed by the yard who are required to be certified in a variety of welding procedures for navy projects. The goal of the program will be to NAVSEA-certify 100 welders, comprised of existing and potential employees, thereby addressing the shortage in skilled and certified welders available to navy boatbuilding and repair projects while improving marine groups competitive operations. The welding training program will take a welder of any level, provide them with the training to be proficient and the take them through the navy certification process to get them certified. This will be paid time for the welder and cover all costs for tuition, course materials and certifications. While marine group has every intention of retaining the employee, the certification will essentially remain with the welder wherever he may go which leads to the overall increase of qualified navy welders in the southern california region. Also, marine groups overall navy construction and repair process will see significant efficiency improvements with the deployment of the welder training program through reduced overtime, reduced rework, and increased welding productivity on navy projects.