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FOGHORN
diagnostics can identify problems before they cause fail-
ures, and remote monitoring can reveal trends that once 
required physical inspections.
But maintenance is not disappearing; it is evolving. In-
stead of injector timing, we are evaluating battery cooling 
systems and high-voltage electrical connections. Instead 
of rebuilding transmissions, we are analyzing software 
diagnostics, managing thermal systems, and maintaining 
charging infrastructure. Electrical systems introduce new 
concerns—insulation, connection corrosion, ventilation, 
cybersecurity, and software updates—that are becoming 
as important as oil changes once were.
At Angel Island–Tiburon Ferry, we are converting two 
vessels to electric propulsion while designing a new hybrid 
vessel. Much of the work has involved systems outside the 
propulsion package itself. Before the first electric motor 
FOGHORN FOCUS
A necessary evil is  
something we endure  
because we have no  
alternative. Maintenance  
is a deliberate investment 
in reliability, safety,  
and the long-term  
health of the vessels  
entrusted to us.
Above: Angel Island, a 50-year-old passenger vessel, during shipyard work ahead of conversion to electric propulsion.

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