San Francisco Bay News

Mavrik Marine, Inc. was selected to build high-speed passenger ferries for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District. Mavrik will construct catamaran passenger ferries as part of the District’s eight vessel Lima Class Ferry Replacement Program to provide transportation services in San Francisco Bay.The 50-m aluminum ferries specifications and systems were developed by Aurora Marine Design in San Diego with structural design from One2Three Naval Architects in Australia. Construction will begin immediately at Mavrik’s facility in La Conner, WA.

Westar Marine Services, a cornerstone of the Bay Area maritime community since 1976, has officially entered a new chapter of leadership. After more than four decades at the helm, co-owners Mary McMillan and Wendy Morrow—pioneering women in the maritime industry—are setting sail into a well-earned retirement.McMillan and Morrow built Westar into a trusted name in marine transportation and support services, serving the San Francisco Bay and beyond with an unwavering commitment to safety, professionalism, and community.

Pacific-Gulf Marine (PGM) has been awarded three 10-year firm contracts with a total value of approximately $621 million, including fixed fees and reimbursables. Of the six ships PGM will manage on behalf of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), two are out ported in the San Francisco Bay Area, two in Newport News, VA, and two in New Orleans, LA. These ships are part of MARAD’s 51-vessel Ready Reserve Force (RRF) fleet.The RRF consists of military-useful ships maintained by commercial operators in a high state of readiness…

EV Maritime, New Zealand’s leading electric ferry design and technology company, announced the launch of its first fully electric passenger ferry. The new vessel will operate between downtown Auckland and the suburb of Half Moon Bay.This is the first of the EVM200 class,a series of battery-electric fast ferries built using lightweight carbon fiber. Designed for urban public transport, the EVM200 offers service speeds of up to 25 knots and a range of up to 20 miles.Developed with support from the New Zealand Government…

Wärtsilä will supply the electric propulsion system for three fully battery-electric, high-speed ferries that will operate in the San Francisco Bay area, the first full-electric high-speed ferries to operate and be built in the USA. The order with Wärtsilä has been placed by the shipyard All American Marine (AAM), on behalf of San Francisco Bay Ferry, California’s largest public ferry operator. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q1 2025.The three zero-emission vessels will be the first delivered as a part of San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program…

Crowley—a legacy U.S. maritime and logistics powerhouse—is making waves with an innovative, people-first approach to workforce development. In a wide-ranging conversation on the Maritime Matters: The Marinelink Podcast, two of Crowley’s senior leaders — Megan Davidson, Chief People and Regulatory Officer, and Jim Bender, Program Manager of Workforce Development — unpacked how this 133-year-old company is not only adapting to change but leading the charge toward a more sustainable…

Digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther and US shipbuilder Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) have been selected by San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) to design and deliver two new electric ferries for San Francisco Bay Ferry.The commission adds to Incat Crowther’s growing portfolio of bespoke, low and zero-emission ferry designs for public transport operators around the world.The new ferries will be capable of transporting 400 passengers and 60 bicycles…

Moose Boats, a boat designer and manufacturer in the San Francisco Bay Area, has delivered an M2-36 catamaran to the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol.The M2 will serve as both a law enforcement and fireboat responding throughout the Santa Barbara harbor and coastal region.The build features twin 300 HP Suzuki outboards with contra-rotating dual stainless-steel propellers.A dedicated Volvo Penta diesel engine that powers its firefighting capabilities with up to 1,500 GPM through two TFT monitors…

Ice Floe, LLC, doing business as Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB), has been awarded a contract by San Francisco Bay Ferry to design and construct two 400-passenger battery-electric ferries as part of the agency’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program.The 142’-1” x 34’-9” Subchapter K vessels will operate at 25 knots, serving central bay routes that seamlessly connect Oakland and Alameda to San Francisco.They will significantly reduce emissions in the San Francisco Bay Area.NBBB will be collaborating with vessel designer Incat Crowther…

Jim Towers is Principal in Charge as well as a Senior Naval Architect and Marine Engineer at Elliott Bay Design Group. He has 45 years of marine experience in vessel design and construction with a specific emphasis on structure. A recognized industry expert in vessel design and a part of numerous vessel construction and refurbishment projects, Jim has worked for the Pacific Northwest's top shipyards, where he developed his engineering talent and was involved in the construction of many high-speed aluminum vessels.

The Port of Oakland experienced a solid 2024, processing 2.26 million TEUs (twenty-foot containers), representing a 9.5% increase over 2023.The 2024 cargo data reflects a long-term growth trend in consumer spending in the San Francisco Bay Area and in the rest of the country.“Consumer demand has remained resilient, driving higher import volumes through the Port,” said Port of Oakland Maritime Director Bryan Brandes. “This performance underscores the port’s strong foundation for continued growth and its critical role in global trade.”On the full container side…

Patrick Murphy has been President of Blue & Gold Fleet, L.P., the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest and premier provider of Bay Cruises and ferry service, since 2016. Murphy grew up in the Maritime business. His father, Roger Murphy, founded Blue & Gold Fleet in 1979. Patrick Murphy began his career in 1982, working part-time in the Box Office and as a Deckhand before receiving his United States Coast Guard’s license in 1995 and was promoted to Captain in 1996. In 2005, Murphy advanced to Blue & Gold Fleet Operations Manager, and then to Director of Operations in 2009.

CEO Mike Corrigan outlines Interferry’s mountain of objectives – including a game-changing campaign to keep ferries front and center in reducing GHG emissions.Interferry’s origins stem from the launch of a knowledge-sharing US networking initiative in 1976. Those relatively modest roots have grown beyond recognition into a highly respected global trade association with membership exceeding 270 companies – operators and suppliers – in more than 40 countries. We have consultative…

The domestic passenger vessel answers the call for cleaner and more efficient platforms. It is truly an electric time to be a part of this niche industry.In the shadow of a rapidly changing political landscape, the domestic passenger ferry sector is nevertheless seeing an increasing number of newbuild vessel orders. Older fleet vessels, some approaching financial and operational obsolescence – also environmentally undesirable on a waterfront that more than ever demands cleaner carbon signatures – are going the way of the dinosaur.

Corvus Energy has been selected as the supplier of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) for Statue City Cruises’ ferries servicing the iconic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island routes in New York Harbor.Corvus Energy ESS will be integrated aboard Statue City Cruises’ current fleet of nine ferries and will reduce fuel consumption and emissions along the New York/New Jersey waterfront.Since 2008, Statue City Cruises, which is part of Hornblower’s City Experiences portfolio, has been the…

All American Marine (AAM) has announced a partnership with San Francisco Bay Ferry to build their 150-passenger battery-electric vessels. This landmark project will contribute significantly to advancing sustainable passenger transport in the San Francisco Bay Area while showcasing innovative maritime engineering.The concept vessel was initially developed by Aurora Marine Design, based in San Diego, as part of  SF Bay Ferry’s REEF program. Teknicraft Design of Auckland, New Zealand…

The San Francisco Bay Ferry announced on Thursday that it has received a $12.5 million grant from the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) to establish a zero-emission, battery-electric ferry service at the Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal in Alameda.This funding will significantly enhance SF Bay Ferry’s Rapid Electric Emission-Free Ferry (REEF) Program, aimed at transitioning the agency’s fleet to zero-emission propulsion. The grant, part of CalSTA’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP)…

San Francisco Bay Ferry has been awarded a $11 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to support the agency’s plans to procure the nation’s first high-speed battery electric ferries.The award—announced by the FTA on Monday as one of 18 new ferry grants totaling nearly $300 million—advances Phase 1 of SF Bay Ferry’s Rapid Electric Emission-Free Ferry (REEF) Program, a suite of projects to transition the agency’s fleet to zero-emission propulsion technology.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has unveiled nearly $300 million in grants from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law aimed at transforming and expanding ferry systems across the United States. This substantial investment will support the modernization of ferry services, which are vital for millions of Americans.Each year, ferries facilitate approximately 56 million trips nationwide, playing a crucial role in transporting people and goods…

San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system, is moving forward with plans to introduce the United States' first fleet of zero-emission, high-speed, battery electric ferries, this week unveiling design renderings and announcing a battery systems supplier.The newbuilds, to be procured as part of SF Bay Ferry's Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program, include two 400-passenger vessels that will operate…

The first-of-its-kind hydrogen-fueled ferry Sea Change will soon begin public service, providing zero-emissions transport for passengers in San Francisco Bay.The groundbreaking commercial passenger vessel is the world’s first powered 100% by zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells. It was developed by owner SWITCH Maritime with grant support from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a solution to reduce emissions from the marine transportation system.A group of private and public sector partners came together to officially launch the Sea Change on July 12…

Angel Island Tiburon Ferry (AITF), in California, has tapped New-Zealand-based EV Maritime to design a plug-in hybrid electric vessel for its fleet in the San Francisco Bay Area. The project, which will also see the electrification of two existing AITF vessels, has been funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The hybrid ferry will be designed and engineered by EV Maritime with electrical integration provided by ZeroMar, a local company in the Bay Area.“This new vessel will be plug-in hybrid…

Vita Power announced it has sold an all-electric Vita Seal RIB boat to Bill Foss, a sustainable seafood harvester and restaurateur. This purchase supports Bill’s commitment to eco-friendly business practices, aiding his company TwoXSea in sustainable seafood distribution.The Vita Seal will transport divers to harvest red sea urchins, whose exploding population in the San Francisco Bay has led to destruction of local kelp forests and marine habitats. During the summer, the boat will be showcased at Lake Tahoe to promote electric boating and environmental preservation…