John Waterhouse News

Following the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association’s (WFSA) Professional Program (held virtually on May 18, 2022), Awards were presented to finalist teams in the WFSA’s Ferry Design Competition, now in its ninth year.Dr. Roberta Weisbrod, WFSA’s Executive Director, said the specifications for the design ferry were crafted to be ever more challenging from year to year, but that this year’s objective creating a safe and affordable ferry for transiting India’s Brahmaputra River, “that…

Metal Shark won a contract to build a new vehicle ferry for Fire Island Ferries, a vessel designed by Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG).Construction of the new Fire Island Maid recently commenced at Metal Shark’s Bayou La Batre, Alabama shipyard, and the 70 x 23-ft.vessel features a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. With its hydraulically operated bow ramp and reinforced decks designed to support fully loaded concrete trucks and general cargo, the new ferry will provide transport between Bay Shore…

Sea Change - America’s first hydrogen powered ferrySWITCH Maritime’s new 70-foot passenger ferry Sea Change is navigating uncharted waters as the United States’ first zero-emissions, hydrogen fuel cell-powered, electric-drive ferry.The pioneering aluminum newbuild, constructed by Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine, Inc. (AAM), has been completed and was launched this summer, though permitting of hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels is still being worked out with the U.S. Coast Guard.“Legislation and laws for passenger safety did not exist yet for this type of vessel.

The past decade has seen tight restrictions on emissions from vessels, notably with a 2015 move to a .10% sulfur maximum in Emission Control Areas (ECA) in North America and in northern Europe. As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) now shapes shipping’s decarbonization future, shipowners are looking at transitions away from fossil fuels. Among the myriad of alternatives are lithium ion batteries and some early forays into hydrogen fuel cells.To date, large batteries are used on short runs…

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) said its board of directors has appointed Robert Ekse as president of the firm. Ekse will assume the position from current president and chief engineer, Brian King, who is retiring after 33 years of service. King will remain active in EBDG projects in a limited capacity, accepting the role as principal emeritus."Brian will be deeply missed, but his many accomplishments will be a reminder of his contributions to our industry…

John Waterhouse is a ubiquitous character in the U.S. maritime industry, a deep-thinker, a signature bow tie and more than three decades of naval architecture and marine engineering experience and success as co-owner of the Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG).While growing up, John Waterhouse spent some time in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and it was as a young boy standing on the shores of English Bay, watching ships come in from around the world to load and unload their cargos, when he realized that a maritime career could be his future.

Elliott Bay Design Group is a well-known, long tenured Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm.We checked in with John Waterhouse, Chief Concept Engineer at EBDG, for insights on some of the design elements on the new Staten Island Ferries.Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) served as the design lead on the new “Ollis” class of Staten Island Ferries. “We started with them at the end 2014 to make a preliminary design investigation,” said John Waterhouse, Chief Concept Engineer at EBDG.

Is it Right for Your Operation? That Depends, says EBDG’s John Waterhouse. Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) serves many ferry customers in North America. These clients read the trade publications and see various articles on new technologies such as hybrid propulsion, battery powered vessels or zero emission vessels. After finishing such an article they ask themselves: “What advantages would that technology bring to my operation and what will it cost?” To that end, EBDG developed some tools to help answer those questions.

EPA Tier 4 regulations (for engines of 804 hp and higher) and propulsion advancements have many manufacturers and vessel designers changing course to adapt to new requirements and customer demands. Jensen Maritime is designing a new 110-ft. harbor class ship assist docking tug with 6,770 horsepower. “It’s a little larger than most. The extra length allows for towing which is secondary use,” says Vice President Johan Sperling. “There will be Tier 4 equipment in it. Bryan Nichols…

On June 2-3, 2016,  the Ferry Safety and Technology Conference will be held in downtown Manhattan. Throughout the world, the quickening pace of technological advances is impacting all sectors of the maritime business; ferries are no exception. The conference, now in its second year, will feature practical and affordable technologies already deployed in passenger transportation, or soon to be. Topics to be discussed will include Vessel Design; Landings – with a focus on their resiliency and Maritime Weather – with fresh information on timely fine scale marine weather detection. Information management and Communication applications will be center stage.

A review of the ferry industry’s latest challenges and opportunities attracted a record 340 delegates to Vancouver last week for the 39th annual Interferry conference. The global trade association event exposed a string of concerns – notably over punitive safety and environmental regulations – but also highlighted the financial potential of new routes, onboard shopping incentives and the use of LNG fuel. Alongside sessions on the future of the industry, Canada-based CEO Len Roueche outlined a vision for maintaining Interferry’s influential lobbying role among politicians and regulators.

Today the results of the World Ferry Safety Association international student design competition for a Safe Affordable Ferry were announced. The goal of the design competition is to elicit new approaches for ferry design in the developing world as well as to encourage designers to enter this arena, for which there is a need and an emerging market. An announcement of the winners, chosen by an esteemed team of judges (see below), and a recognition of all participants, will take place at the Annual Meeting of Interferry, in Malta, on October 7. Following the submissions, Dr.

Elliott Bay Design Group LLC (EBDG) announced that its management and employees have purchased the firm from its parent company, American Commercial Lines (ACL). The transaction closed on December 1, 2011. Following an internal business  review, ACL decided to divest itself of EBDG to focus on its core businesses – inland towing and barge construction. Both EBDG and ACL look forward to working together on future vessel building projects. EBDG is also in the process of re-opening its second office in New Orleans, La. “We effected the management buyout with the goal of growing the firm, pursuing a wider range of projects and having greater flexibility to hire outstanding employees,” said John Waterhouse, Chief Concept Engineer at EBDG.

MarineNews spoke with industry experts to get an overview of the passenger vessel market as it stands today, including a legislative update and business leaders’ insights on pricing, ridership and vessel construction and renovation. Actions in Congress this year provided a mixed bag for passenger vessel operators. Because of the new tax law, private operators will be able to take advantage of an immediate 100% depreciation deduction for capital investments made in 2011. Also,…

Trade association Interferry is mounting a membership drive with ro-ro operators among key targets in a further move to strengthen its representation at the International Maritime Organization. Interferry, which has had IMO consultative status since 2003, recently became an associate member of the influential International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and has just set up a regulatory committee to direct safety and environmental submissions by its newly expanded delegation. Now the association – formed 35 years ago by passenger sector interests - is aiming for more ro-ro members after becoming increasingly involved in issues that also affect freight-only ferries.

It was a Memorial Day Weekend tragedy onboard the famed 50-year old S.S. Norway, when an explosion rocked 2,000 passengers from their bunks, an accident which killed eight and injured 22. While thoughts immediately turned to terrorism, reports indicate that the explosion eminated from one of Norway's four boilers. The explosion and its aftermath is sure to put the spotlight on older ships and their maintenance habits, though it is far too early to predict any tangible changes. Basking in the limelight of its highly-publicized purchase of the S.S. United States (as seen in MR’s June 2003 Yearbook edition), Norwegian Cruise Lines' (NCL's) moment was short-lived when the Norway incident occurred on May 25…