Staten Island Advance News

Plans are in hand to convert one of the two diesel oil-fuelled 'Austen-class' ferries to use Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). A pilot program conducted on one Staten Island Ferry, if successful, could save the city nearly half the boat's fueling cost annually, reports the 'Staten Island Advance'. An unspecified Austen Class ferry will be converted from using ultra-low-sulfur diesel to liquefied natural gas (LNG) during a routine dry docking in 2013. The Staten Island Ferry received a $2,340,000 federal grant, and the city kicked in additional money to reach $3 million for the conversion.

The Spirit of America, the third and last in the new Molinari class of Staten Island ferryboats, had its maiden voyage on April 5 with a low-key trip across New York Harbor. Ferry managers and a handful of elected leaders took the inaugural trip, a 10 a.m. run from St. George that commenced without the ceremony, speeches and hoopla that welcomed the Spirit's sister vessels, Guy V. Molinari and Sen. John J. Marchi. Staten Island Advance readers voted to name the boat Sprit of America in 2004, after its original name, September 11, was deemed inappropriate by many people. The Spirit can carry as many as 4,400 passengers on its four passenger decks. The Molinari entered the fleet in January 2005 and the Marchi followed in May. The Spirit has mostly sat idle at St.