PORT ANGELES — A fleet of up to six armed submarine escort boats could be moved to Port Angeles.
The Port of Port Angeles is in talks with the Navy over relocating the boats from the Bangor submarine base to the Port Angeles Boat Haven, said Mike Nimmo, port marine facilities manager.
Nimmo said the Navy is interested in relocating the boats to the marina at 832 Boat Haven Drive to have them be “closer to where they operate most of the time.”
A contract has not been negotiated, but the port has applied for a shoreline substantial development permit with the city of Port Angeles to build a new security gate and modify an existing building to accommodate the boats.
The port’s proposal is to dock the boats at the A/B float, located on the south end of the marina.
A security gate would be needed because the boats would have weapons and ammunition.
The permit application doesn’t specify what type of weapons.
The Port Angeles Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and consider approval of the proposed permit at its meeting today.
The meeting will be at 6 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
Nimmo said he expects a lease with the Navy to be settled this fall.
The permit application says the boats belong to an unnamed private contractor, but Nimmo said they are owned by the Coast Guard.
A Coast Guard spokesman could not immediately confirm the boats’ ownership Tuesday.
Lease estimates weren’t immediately available, but Nimmo said he expects the Navy’s rent would be a “significant impact to the Boat Haven’s bottom line.”
“It would be a great thing if it happened,” he added.
A security gate would be placed about a quarter of the way down the float because of firearms and sensitive electronic equipment on the boats.
Nimmo said the marina has enough space to accommodate the escort boats.
Any vessels docked at the float would be relocated to one of the Boat Haven’s three other floats, he said.
Additionally, a building on the east jetty would be remodeled to accommodate storage and office space.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.