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York Water News

17 Apr 2023

2023 US Shipbuilding Report

Philly Shipyard is currently building MARAD’s National Security Multi-Mission Vessels, which will serve as training ships for the nation’s state maritime academies. (Photo: Philly Shipyard)

Much has changed since Marine News’ 2022 shipbuilding report published in March last year, and business opportunities in certain market segments continue to grow. But the shipyards that are looking to cash in are still facing many of the same challenges.For example, many American shipyards and their partners throughout the shipbuilding supply chain are still finding it difficult to attract and retain the workers they need. If you’re a skilled craftsperson looking for a job in shipbuilding, you’re in luck, because there are plenty of openings at shipyards across the country.

16 Feb 2023

2023 Shipbuilding Report: US Passenger Vessels

Casco Bay Line selected the Senesco to build a double ended hybrid electric ferry to replace an existing diesel boat. (Image: EBDG)

With travel and tourism nearing pre-2020 levels, and transit systems benefiting from a return to work, passenger vessels have seen renewed activity. In its year-end review, John Groundwater, Executive Director of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), which advocates for the sector in Washington, D.C. wrote: “As we are nearing the end of the calendar year, we are delighted to report that our industry, and our members, are reporting far and wide that they have experienced very…

03 Nov 2022

NYC's First Zero-emissions Passenger Ferry Slated for 2024 Launch

(Image: Green City Ferries)

A newly announced zero-emissions electric ferry scheduled for launch in 2024 will be the first to service New York City as the marine industry continues to make strides to decarbonize its operations.The high-speed passenger vessel is the result of a partnership between local operator New York Cruise Lines and Stockholm-based Green City Ferries AB (GCF). It will be operated by New York Cruise Lines subsidiary New York Water Taxi on the Hudson River between Brooklyn and Manhattan.The newbuild, a Beluga24 catamaran developed by GCF, will have a capacity of 147 passengers and 28 bicycles.

26 Sep 2018

BMT Introduces New Water Taxi Designs

(Image: BMT)

BMT has introduced new vessel designs in response to a tender issued by Hong Kong’s Transport Department.Addressing a need to support the development of domestic passenger ferry services in Hong Kong, the new hybrid Eco Ferry and a smaller, nimble 14 passenger harbor craft have been designed for on-demand and ad-hoc trips, both of which could enable passengers to experience faster, smoother, and more fuel-efficient transits across Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor.Richard Colwill, Regional Managing Director at BMT…

17 Mar 2016

18 New Ferries Needed for New NYC Ferry Service

 San Francisco-based Hornblower is well-established in the NYC market. Pictured is Hornblower Infinity. (Photo: Hornblower)

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the Citywide Ferry Service is on track to launch in 2017, with the selection of Hornblower, Inc. as its operator. The new service, which will include up to 20 boats and connect 21 New York City eighborhoods for the price of a single subway ride ($2.75) is scheduled to be fully operational by 2018, and is estimated to carry 4.6 million trips per year across six routes. “For the price of a single subway ride, tens-of-thousands of New Yorkers are going to have a new public transit option linking them to jobs…

17 Dec 2008

5th Incat for New York Water Taxi

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered its fifth high-speed water taxi, Gene Flatow, to New York City-based New York Water Taxi. Like the four sisters before her, the bright yellow, all-aluminum catamaran, designed by Incat Crowther, measures 72 ft long and 27.3 ft abeam, and draws 5 ft. The water taxi is USCG-certified to carry 149 passengers but limited to only 99 passengers when operating at the City’s “water taxi” designated docks. The vessel is powered by twin Cummins QSK 19-M diesel engines, each rated at 800 Bhp at 2100 rpm.

05 Aug 2004

New York Water Taxi Orders Two

New York Water Taxi, whose bright yellow water taxis shuttle passengers between locations on the New York Harbor, is adding two new vessels to its six-boat fleet. Next spring, the water taxi service will take delivery of two 72-foot catamarans, under construction at Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation. The new vessels are classic Incat Designs-designed ferries -- offering simplicity and efficiency, reliability, low sound level, and low wake. The water taxis are designed to reach the same 26-knot speed and with the same crew size as New York Water Taxi’s current vessels…

11 Jun 2002

Derecktor Delivers 85 ft. Freight Ferry

The Fire Island Ferries, Inc. took delivery of AMERICA, an 85 ft. Freight Boat built by Derecktor Shipyard Conn. LLC. This is the first boat to have been delivered by Derecktor’s Connecticut facility. AMERICA will be used between the Long Island operator’s home port of Bay Shore, on the South shore of Long Island, and various destinations on Fire Island. The new vessel shall be used primarily to ferry cargo needed by contractors working on Fire Island, and various commercial delivery vehicles and contractors. Designed by Nigel Gee & Associates, the ferry is a fairly traditional looking vessel with a singlechined hull. Hull and superstructure are all-aluminum alloy. The bow of the boat has an enclosed section for cargo storage and passengers.

08 Aug 2002

Derecktor Shipyards Premieres Passenger Ferry to NYWT

New York Water Taxi has accepted the delivery of Mickey Murphy - the first in a series of 53-ft. (16.1 m) passenger ferries constructed by Derecktor Shipyards. The bright yellow boats, which sport a black and white checkered trim, they will enhance waterborne transportation for New York City residents, as well as the millions of tourists that visit the major attractions on the West Side, Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn Waterfront each year. Designed by Nigel Gee & Associates, the new Water Taxi is powered by two Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines, providing 600 hp at 2,100 rpm via Twin Disc gears. It is an all-aluminum catamaran with a low-wake hull and a top speed of 25 knots carrying 54 seated passengers.

10 Sep 2004

U.S. Ferry Market Prospects Looking Up

The proliferation of sleek, unique and fast ferries on U.S. waterways is slowly becoming the reality that has been much discussed for decades. While the country does not have an inate "ferry mentality" that is so prevalent in the European culture, in part due to the vastly different geographic challenges, many parts of the country, particularly the heavily congested Northeast corridor, are starting to accept the advantages of relatively fast and efficient water transport. According to a survey conducted by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Mass., high-speed ferries account for only 10 percent of the overall national U.S. ferry fleet.

21 Feb 2003

East Coast: Derecktor: Bridgeport Expansion Opens Opportunities

Derecktor Shipbuilding has quietly gone about the business of building great boats, generally eschewing bold press headlines along the way. This has started to change, perhaps not by design but default as the boat builder has dramatically extended its fast ferry building capability (as well as that of the entire East Coast) with the completion of its 45,000 sq. ft. main assembly building at its facility in Bridgeport, Conn., marking the completion of the second building on this 23-acre site, which is part of the development of the Bridgeport Regional Maritime Complex in Bridgeport Harbor. The new main assembly building consists of one 300 x 100 x 75 ft. (clear height) assembly bay and one 300 x 50 x 50 ft. (clear height) assembly bay.

11 Feb 2003

Derecktor Builds More Taxis

and six under construction. July and August 2003. checkered trim have been a notable part of the Manhattan waterfront. waterfront each year. existing piers. the Beard Street Pier in Red Hook, Brooklyn. and West 44th Street. a low-wake hull and a top speed of 25 knots carrying 54 seated passengers. the main deck. accommodated in dedicated spaces in the main cabin. a total capacity of 75 passengers), a small bar aft and an ADA compliant toilet. allows passengers to enjoy panoramic views of the cityscape during their ride. cruises. through Twin Disc gears, power the ferry.

07 Jul 2003

Feature: Ferry Boat Construction Tops Passenger Vessel Industry

The passenger vessel industry continues to be mired in a construction malaise with high-speed passenger only ferries and more conventional passenger auto ferries the only bright spot. The epicenter of the passenger vessel ferry business is the New York City metro area where dozens of new ferries have been added to replace the PATH and other subway lines destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Suddenly "the way to work" for thousands of commuters was severed. Recent deliveries into the area include five 79-foot catamarans for NY Waterway. They are single deck, 149-foot passenger only ferries. The company also has purchased two 340-passsenger fast ferries from NY Fast Ferry. The ramp up in New York City ferry services has not been without difficulties, however.

15 Jan 2003

Passenger Vessels:Derecktor Expansion in Bridgeport Extends Capabilities

The expansion of fast ferry building facilities has taken another gigantic step on the U.S. East Coast. In concert with a beehive of new capacity construction down south, Derecktor Shipyards recently announced that it has completed construction on a 45,000 sq. ft. main assembly building at its facility in Bridgeport, Conn., marking the completion of the second building on this 23-acre site, which is part of the development of the Bridgeport Regional Maritime Complex in Bridgeport Harbor. The new main assembly building consists of one 300 x 100 x 75 ft. (clear height) assembly bay and one 300 x 50 x 50 ft. (91.4 x 30.4 x 22.8 m) (clear height) assembly bay. This assembly building is the first of two main assembly halls to be constructed on the site which will provide a total of 168,000 sq.

07 Aug 2003

Feature: Independence Day

What do you get when you spend 19 hours at a Fourth of July party onboard a tugboat in NY harbor? A sunburn, welts from hurled bagels, about 12,000 calories and some incredibly good memories, Don Sutherland found. Officially it's Independence Day, but everyone calls it the Fourth of July. Its inalienable rights accrue to the common man, whose life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness necessitate keeping things simple. And is any form of theater simpler than a fireworks dispay? No plot to keep up with, no dialog to follow, just plenty of action. America feasts during many of its holidays, but with varying complication - where Thanksgiving is an elaboration of side dishes and stuffings and sauces, July Fourth is plain barbecue. Sauces? What do you call mustard and ketchup?

23 Sep 2002

Derecktor Delivers Fisheries Research Vessel

The State of Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife took delivery of “First State” to replace their current Fisheries Research Vessel, a hundred-year -old converted wooden sailboat. The new 62 ft. (19 m), designed by Nigel Gee & Associates, has been built by Derecktor in aluminum with a hard chine hull. exceptionally low noise levels. dredge roller and towing bit. resiliently mounted. gearboxes. Department’s former/current vessel. speed of 22 knots. nine. fisheries in the Delaware River and Bay. sampling. leading manufacturer of commercial aluminum vessels in North America. fleet modernization effort of the Sandy Hook Pilots Association. New York Water Taxi (NYWT) and are soon to deliver two more. (73 m) high-speed vehicle ferries for the Alaska Marine Highway System.

09 Sep 2002

Bollinger Delivers Innovative Lift Boat

Montco Offshore is the beneficiary of the latest innovative newbuild from the Bollinger Shipyards stable. The companies are touting the new L/B Myrtle, a 137.5 ft. unit, as a giant leap forward in the evolution of liftboats. The unit is outfitted with 245-ft. legs and the self-propelled floating platform has the ability to work in water depths to 180 ft. with a 15-ft. air gap while lifting a total of 850 KIPS of variable load. The feature that separates this liftboat from others, however, is that it is equipped with a bowthruster and controllable pitch (CP) propellers for greater maneuverability and pinpoint positioning of the huge legs with oversized pads on the ocean bottom.

16 Nov 2005

NY Water Taxis Out of Service

The U.S. Coast Guard put six of New York Water Taxi's nine ferries out of service last week after they failed spot safety inspections following an engine fire on one of the boats, says a Star-Ledger report. No one was hurt in the November 7 fire that was caused by a leak in the boat's oil filter. The reason for the failed inspections is not clear, but flaws in the engines’ cooling systems are suspected. The problem has forced the temporary shutdown of the taxi routes on the East River in New York and curtailed its service between Jersey City and Manhattan. Over the next several days, the company will make short-term repairs so the boats that failed the inspections can return to service, and during the winter, the company will install new engines in boats, according to the report.

27 Nov 2006

Gladding-Hearn Starts Construction of Fourth NY Water Taxi

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has started construction of a fourth water taxi for New York City-based New York Water Taxi. Delivery is set for next April when the commuter ferry will begin passenger service between Yonkers, N.Y., and downtown Manhattan. Like the three sisters before her, the bright yellow, all-aluminum catamaran, designed by Incat Crowther, will measure 72 feet (22 m) long and 27.3 feet (8.3 m) abeam, and draw 5 feet (1.5 m). It will be USCG-certified to carry 149 passengers but limited to only 99 passengers when operating at New York City water taxi docks. The vessel will be powered by two Cummins QSK 19-M diesel engines, each rated at 800 Bhp at 2100 rpm.

09 Aug 2007

Gladding-Hearn Delivers Fourth New York Water Taxi

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has delivered the fourth water taxi for New York City-based New York Water Taxi to begin new passenger service between Yonkers, N.Y., and downtown Manhattan. Like the three sisters before her, the bright yellow, all-aluminum catamaran, designed by Incat Crowther, measures 72 ft. long and 27.3 ft. abeam, and draws 5 ft. It is USCG-certified to carry 149 passengers but limited to only 99 passengers when operating at New York City ferry docks. The vessel is powered by two Cummins QSK 19-M diesel engines, each rated at 800 Bhp at 2100 rpm. The engines drive 5-bladed Ni-BR-Al Bruntons propellers via Twin Disc MGX 5145SC Quick Shift gearboxes and EC-300 control systems.

07 Nov 2007

New York Water Taxi Orders Fifth Incat

Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has taken another order for a high-speed water taxi from New York City-based New York Water Taxi. Delivery is scheduled for July 2008. Like the four sisters before her, the bright yellow, all-aluminum catamaran, designed by Incat Crowther, measures 72 feet (22m) long and 27.3 feet (8.3m) abeam, and draws 5 feet (1.5m). The new vessel will be USCG-certified to carry 149 passengers but limited to only 99 passengers when operating at the city’s “water-taxi-designated” docks. The vessel will be powered by twin Cummins QSK 19-M diesel engines, each rated at 800 Bhp at 2100 rpm. The EPA Tier-2-compliant engines will drive 5-bladed Ni-BR-Al Bruntons propellers via Twin Disc MGX 5145SC “Quick Shift” gearboxes and EC-300 control systems.

10 Jun 2005

Talking About the John J. Harvey

Everybody talks about the John J. Harvey, and quite a few of them are doing something about it. The chipping, scraping, and painting you'd expect a 74-year-old fireboat to require has proceeded since the vessel became privately owned in 1999, but that's only the beginning of the discussion. For within the city the fireboat served for its first sixty years, a peculiar love/hate seems to have developed toward the harbor. That, more than leaks, can influence the future of the most historic of vessels, even as it affects contemporary ones doing their daily chores. The John J. Harvey was built for these waters in 1931, launched into them by the Todd shipyards at Brooklyn and serving them steadily, reliably, even heroically.

08 Mar 2005

NY’s New ‘Taxi Driver’

If you want to call yourself a taxi in New York, you've got things to live up to. Take tradition. A New York taxi always beat everybody to the punch. It was the first away when the light changed, weaving through otherwise orderly rows of cars and trucks, just in time to beat the next light. The ride not only was fast, it looked fast. The driver, all the while, dispensed worldly wisdom on any theme, and if you asked, could name the best oyster bar in the entire city. He spoke New Yorkese - an "R," (if pronounced at all) could be a "W" or a "V" - but it was English. Etched in his mind was the map of the five boroughs, and all their one-way streets. He was friendly, considerate, and caring - waited until you were indoors when he dropped you off, before cruising away for the next fare.

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