A former World War II ship that could be destined for a salvage yard in China recently joined nearly a dozen other boats at Mare Island, which has seen a batch of new shipyard business in the past year.

The vessel once known as the TS Golden Bear - the second training ship to bear that name at the California Maritime Academy, across the Mare Island Strait - is docked at Berth 12 under a short-term lease.

"Presently, the new owners are negotiating to have the vessel taken overseas, probably to be scrapped out," said Gary Whitney, owner of Marine Survey and Management Co. of Petaluma, which brought the ship to Mare Island and is awaiting orders.

Officials at ESCO Marine Inc. of Brownsville, Texas, which bought the 492-foot ship, weren't immediately available for comment.

The former Golden Bear is the latest in a string of ships to arrive at Mare Island for repairs or, in one case, layup.

Lennar Mare Island is charged with developing about 650 acres of the former base for civilian reuse. It leased the berthing space for the former Golden Bear for a few months, spokesman Jason Keadjian said, and it hopes to bring in more ships to make use of Mare Island's maritime resources.

"All you have to do is look across Mare Island Strait to tell that the berths along Mare Island continue to be well used," Keadjian said.

Last year, Whitney brought another ship to Mare Island for repairs. Since docking at Mare Island's Berth 10 in April, the fate of the SS Independence, a 682-foot steamship, has been on hold. Whitney's contract surveying the ship expired months ago, he said.

Norwegian Cruise Line of Miami is concentrating on introducing other ships to its fleet and has yet to announce its plans for the Independence, a spokesperson said.

The MV Fresno, a 242-foot motor vehicle ferry, docked last year at Mare Island for transformation into a floating office in San Francisco, under the supervision of Intermediate Abatement & Disposal Co. of Oakland. The company also planned to bring the MV San Leandro in for work.

Company officials weren't immediately available for comment.

Vallejo Baylink keeps its maintenance yard at Mare Island, where it now repairs three ferries and will soon add a fourth boat, now under construction, to its fleet.

Other ships at Mare Island include the White Holy, a 133-foot freighter, and the former USS Tripoli, a World War II-era, 512-foot escort carrier.

Whitney, whose company has brought two ships to Mare Island, said he'd like to bring more here. But since the Navy closed the base in 1996, no one has continued dredging local waterways, allowing sediment to collect and water levels to grow more shallow.

Until the Navy or Maritime Administration considers his proposals to dredge the Mare Island Strait to a depth of 30 feet, Vallejo will have to wait before it sees a tide of new ships, Whitney said.

As for the former Golden Bear, Doug Peterson of California Maritime Academy said he'll miss the school's former training ship.

"She was a very proud lady with a great history," said Peterson, the school's historical archivist.

The ship was launched in 1940 as the SS Delorleans. But after less than a year of service, the passenger steam ship was pulled into military service in World War II and renamed the USS Crescent City.

It was used in nearly a dozen military campaigns, transporting troops into such battles as those of Okinawa, Guadalcanal and Guam.

In 1948, the ship was decommissioned and rested at the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet until 1958, when the Maritime Commission took possession and recommissioned it as a training ship for the Vallejo school.

Cal Maritime replaced the ship in 1995 with the third vessel to carry the Golden Bear moniker.

The vessel last served as a floating artists colony in Oakland, where it was dubbed Art Ship. When the project ended, it was sold to the Texas salvaging company.

Last month, the ship was brought to Mare Island, while a deal is worked out to send it overseas to be salvaged for parts.