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New Ferry Service News

30 Nov 2023

US Ferry Services to Receive New Funds Through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

© susanne2688 / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Thursday announced grants totaling $220.2 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to modernize the nation’s ferry systems. The program focuses in part on expanding ferry service in rural communities, helping communities acquire modern ferry boats (including electric boats that reduce carbon pollution), and upgrading shore infrastructure to support high-quality, low-emission ferry service.“For many communities around the U.S.…

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…

27 Jan 2023

US Announces More Grant Funding for Ferry Upgrades

(Photo: Eric Kilby - CC BY-SA 2.0)

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced $384.4 million in federal funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for expanding and improving the nation’s ferry service in communities across the country, as well as accelerate the transition to zero emission transportation.In total, FTA is awarding 23 grants across 11 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Grants will fund projects including replacement of old vessels, expand fleets, and build new terminals and docks.

24 Jan 2023

NY Waterway to Upgrade Ferries with Hybrid Propulsion

© jjfarq / Adobe Stock

NY Waterway announced plans to repower four more of its older ferries, transitioning from traditionally diesel driven units to hybrid technology before eventually operating on pure electric.The private company, which runs ferry and bus service in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley, was awarded $7.298 million in grant funding for the project through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Passenger Ferry Grant program with the support of NJ TRANSIT.Each ferry upgrade consists of removing all main engines and generators…

14 Nov 2022

Louisiana Gets US DOT Loan to Launch New Ferry Service

(Image: Elliott Bay Design Group)

Louisiana is set to launch a new ferry service with the help of a low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).The DOT said on Monday its Build America Bureau will provide nearly $41 million in loans to the Louisiana State Bond Commission for the benefit of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) that will go toward the ferry project as well as a bridge improvement program.The Bureau, which was established during the Obama Administration…

11 Jul 2022

Biden Administration Announces Nearly $300 Million in Ferry Grants

© Derek Victor / Adobe Stock

The Biden Administration announced funding to improve and expand ferry service in communities across the country, as well as accelerate the transition to zero emission transportation.Thanks to President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Federal Transit Administration is making available nearly $300 million through three competitive grant programs that boost access to rural ferry service, bolster existing and new urban service, and lower emissions across all services by…

21 Feb 2022

US Awards More Than $45 Million in Passenger Ferry Grants

© Dan / Adobe Stock

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $45.3 million in grant funding to help buy, repair, and modernize ferry boats and terminals.The fiscal year 2021 grants have been awarded to projects in 11 states and territories, providing funds for capital projects that support existing passenger ferry service, establish new ferry service, and upgrade ferry boats, terminals and related facilities and equipment. The grants also help transit agencies and ferry companies offset the considerable cost of introducing new…

01 Feb 2019

ICE Designs Electric Ferry

Europe’s independent ship design and marine engineering consultancy International Contract Engineering (ICE) Group said that it has recently developed a design for an all-electric ferry that can carry 200 passengers and 45 cars.The UK-based engineering services company said that the ferry was designed as part of a new ferry service planned by an undisclosed client.The shallow-draft double-ended mono-hull ferry will be propelled by four 750 kW propeller pods, achieving a speed of 15 knots in open water and operating with 10 knots in harbour.Remotely operated battery charging stations will be fitted shore-side on each terminal, which will…

01 Aug 2018

NYC Ferry Adds Two New Routes

(Photo: Dale Barnett)

Two more routes will be added to New York City's popular new ferry service, connecting millions of New Yorkers to new neighborhoods, growing job centers, housing and more.The new Soundview and Lower East Side routes will be launched later this month, according to the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and NYC Ferry operated by Hornblower.The Soundview Route will launch on August 15, running from the Soundview section of the Bronx (Clason Point Park), to E.90th Street on the Upper East Side, to East 34th Street, ending its run at Wall Street/Pier 11.

24 Jan 2018

A 'Ferry' Good Year

The new NYC Ferry service kicked off in 2017 (Photo: Dale Barnett)

New routes, new challenges and plenty of newbuilding as 2017 gives way to the New Year. A year ago, the maritime industry could be found clinging to the edge of their seats to see what the coming year had in store. 2017 was set to be a telling year and indeed it was. With the elections finalized, the political impact, if any, was sure to be seen. While fuel prices have remained low and continuing to hamper the offshore workboat market, consumer confidence has held high and new vessel construction is strong – particularly in the ferry segment.

07 Aug 2017

NYC’s New Ferries Move a Million Passengers in 86 Days

(Photo: Dale Barnett)

In operation for just three months, New York City’s new ferry service has already moved more than a million passengers. The new ferry service, NYC Ferry, commenced in May, serving Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, with a Bronx connection scheduled for next year. Already, it is off to a great success with very high demand from riders. “We just broke one million rides on @ NYC Ferry….we’re changing the game for more New Yorkers,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. The first two vessels were delivered only three months ago, and already it has expanded to 14 vessels with more on the way.

18 May 2017

North Korea's New Ferry Service Makes First Trip to Russia

A new ferry line between isolated North Korea and its neighbour Russia docked for the first time at the Russian Pacific port of Vladivostok on Thursday. The ferry's Russian operators say it is purely a commercial venture, but it coincides with what some academics say is a drive by North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, to build ties with Moscow in case its closest ally China turns its back. Journalists were unable to see passengers disembarking from the ship, the North Korean-flagged Mangyongbong, because Russian officials kept them away from the quayside, citing unspecified security reasons. Reuters television was able to speak to three passengers, who said they were representatives of Chinese tourism agencies.

30 Jan 2017

Citywide Ferry by Hornblower Takes Center Stage

Cameron Clark, Corporate VP, Development and Special Projects, Hornblower (Photo: Hornblower)

The construction of up to 20 new ferries for New York City is arguably the most exciting maritime new construction project in the U.S. this year. Last month we visited with Cameron Clark, Corporate Vice President, Development and Special Projects, Hornblower, the project manager for the new Citywide Ferry by Hornblower fleet, who discussed the challenges and opportunities ahead. Hornblower has, in the span of 36 years, become the force in the U.S. ferry market, with more than 2,000 employees and 20 million passenger trips annually, including a cumulative staff of 700 in the New York City area.

21 Sep 2016

Cross-Bay Ferry Launched

Photo: Cross-Bay Ferry

A new ferry service has opened in Florida, a St. Petersburg/Tampa ferry service, and organizers project that this is just the start as they "test the waters" for the new  service dubbed The Cross-Bay Ferry. “Everywhere I go, people ask me about the ferry,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, an early supporter of the project. “The Cross-Bay Ferry is a fantastic example of regional collaboration to take on an important challenge – transportation – in a way that’s exciting to experience and pays homage to our maritime history.

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…

21 Jan 2016

FRS Acquires Clipper, Plans North American Expansion

Photo: Clipper

FRS has acquired a majority interest in Clipper. FRS is a global ferry and shipping group, currently operating 60 vessels in 12 countries, and carrier of more than 7 million passengers and 1.9 million vehicles last year on national and international ferry lines. Clipper, operator of Clipper Vacations, is a recognized company in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada, offering unique regional travel experiences, including high speed Victoria Clipper ferry services from Seattle to Victoria, and Seattle to San Juan Island.

20 May 2015

New Ferry Service to Long Island

Sea Jitney connecting NYC to Long Island (Photo: Sea Jitney)

A new intermodal service for the Tri-State area offers a transportation alternative linking New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut with Long Island. The new service, launched in partnership between Seastreak, the Bridgeport–Port Jefferson Ferry and Hampton Jitney, uses a combination of ferries and busses to transport passengers from New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut to Long Island. Beginning May 22, 2015, the seasonal weekend service called Sea Jitney will carry passengers to and from these locations with the Port Jefferson dock as the hub.

12 Dec 2013

New Ferry Service from West France to North Spain

Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has welcomed a new ferry route into Ireland in a matter of weeks, after LD Ferries confirmed a weekly service from western France and northern Spain. The LD Ferries service will connect Rosslare with St Nazaire on the west coast of France, and with Gijón in northern Spain. “This is a very welcome announcement and provides a valuable new landbridge from France and Spain into Ireland. It’s the first service of its kind to Ireland, and it’s great news for our tourism industry. “This is the second positive announcement of a new ferry service in a matter of weeks. Last November a new route from Cherbourg to Dublin was announced.

02 Dec 2013

Canada: Damen to Deliver 80m Ice Class Ferry

Photo: Damen

The Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Government has awarded Damen Shipyards Group an order for a state-of-the-art, 80 m Ice Class ferry, which will operate on the Fogo Island-Change Islands service. Scheduled for delivery in September 2015, the 14-knot ro-ro ferry will be able to carry up to 200 passengers and 60 vehicles. The investment in the new ferry is part of the Government’s vessel renewal program. She will replace the aging MV Captain Earl Winsor. Fifteen proposals were received in response to the Government's request for proposals for the construction of new ferry vessels.

06 Aug 2013

Wall Street Commuters Give New Ferry a Try

Seastreak Ferry: Photo courtesy of Seastreak

Dozens of Brooklyn straphangers stranded by the 14-month-long R train shutdown to Lower Manhattan try out a new ferry service to Wall Street,  but other commuters shunned the transit alternative as even more of an inconvenience, reports the New York Post. A total of more than 100 people hopped aboard five morning-rush-hour runs of the ferry, which began leaving the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park at 6:20 a.m. and reached Pier 11 in Manhattan after the 15-minute trip. The Seastreak ferry…

12 Oct 2011

WETA Awarded Blue & Gold Fleet Five-Year Contract

Water Emergency Transportation Authority Awards Ferry Operating Contract to Blue & Gold Fleet. At its October 6 Board of Directors meeting, the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) awarded Blue & Gold Fleet ("B&GF") a five-year contract for the operation of WETA's San Francisco Bay Ferry services. San Francisco Bay Ferry, which recently assumed operation of the Alameda/Oakland and Harbor Bay Ferries, provides daily commute and excursion service between Alameda, Oakland, San Francisco, and Harbor Bay. In early 2012, San Francisco Bay Ferry plans to launch new ferry service between South San Francisco and the East Bay and to assume operation of the City of Vallejo's Baylink ferry operating between Vallejo and San Francisco.

15 Oct 2009

S. San Fran. Ferry Terminal Construction Begins

Construction on the South San Francisco Ferry Terminal begins at Oyster Point Marina with an official groundbreaking ceremony. At 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2009 civic leaders will kick-off the start of construction of the $26m ferry terminal. Ferry service is scheduled to launch in 2011. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, along with South San Francisco Mayor Karyl Matsumoto and WETA Board Chair Charlene Haught Johnson will turn over the first spade of dirt commencing the start of construction. The project will provide one hundred seventy (170) construction-related jobs & over twenty new full-time maritime operations and supervisory jobs.

02 Apr 2009

Discussion of New Ferry Service in Berkeley

If you are interested in a new ferry service in Berkeley, please join the discussion at the Berkeley City Council meeting on May 5 at 7:00 p.m. at the Council Chambers, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA. WETA will be presenting a summary of the findings of the Draft Environmental Impact Report/Statement (EIR/S) on a proposed ferry terminal in Berkeley or Albany and listening to Commission, Council, and public comments on the project and the Draft EIR/S. Meeting agendas will be posted on the City of Berkeley website (www.ci.berkeley.ca.us). (www.watertransit.org)

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