Maine State Ferry Service News

Bayou la Batre, Ala. shipbuilder Steiner Shipyard reports it has launched a new ferry it is building for the Maine Department of Transportation.The 104-foot passenger/vehicle ferry, named Charles Norman Shay, is designed by Gilbert Associates and is scheduled to be delivered in the near future.Once completed, the brand-new vessel will service the Maine State Ferry Service’s (MSFS) longest route, between Rockland and Matinicus Island (23 miles). It will provide the necessary upgrade to the ferry service that transports nearly 500…

A Maine State Ferry Service vessel was damaged after running aground off the coast of Vinalhaven on August 16.The car and passenger ferry Captain Richard G. Spear was pulling away from Vinalhaven to start a trip to Rockland shortly after 10:30 a.m. when it grounded. There were 65 passengers and five crew members on board at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported.MaineDOT, which runs the MSFS, said its employee who was captaining the ferry at the time of the incident…

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.

As the maritime industry continues along its emissions reduction journey, one company helping to lead the way is BAE Systems, a firm that’s been involved with electric and hybrid propulsion for over 25 years.“We’re all about helping maritime operators get to zero emissions, and it doesn’t matter if it’s all-electric, a hybrid application or even fuel cell. We have the technology to help operators achieve lower emissions and keep operating just as they’re used to with conventional based propulsion…

Bayou la Batre, Ala. shipbuilder Steiner Shipyard has been selected by the Maine Department of Transportation for the construction of the Matinicus Island Replacement Ferry for the Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS).The 104-foot passenger/vehicle ferry is designed by Gilbert Associates. Once completed, the ferry will provide the Rockland-based ferry service with a brand-new vessel capable of servicing the MSFS’s longest route to Matinicus Island (23 miles). It will provide the necessary upgrade to the ferry service that transports nearly 500…

North Kingstown, R.I. shipyard Senesco Marine said it has been selected by the Maine Department of Transportation to build a new hybrid-electric passenger vessel for the Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS).The 154-foot passenger-vehicle ferry, designed by Gilbert Associates, will be equipped with BAE Systems’ electric hybrid propulsion solution to deliver reduced and zero-emission operations capability for the Rockland-based ferry service that serves nearly 500,000 riders and 190…

EPA has recently awarded $250,000 to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP). Together with another $250,000 provided by the State, these funds will be used to repower two marine vessels, a passenger ferry and an excursion vessel, operating in the Gulf of Maine. Diesel engines contribute significantly to air pollution, especially in urban areas. The fine particles in diesel exhaust pose serious health risks, including aggravated asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Children are especially vulnerable to these effects. The Northeast has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation, including a childhood asthma rate above 10 percent in all six New England states.

Coast Guard investigators are working with the Maine State Ferry Service to determine why the ferry Everett Liberty ran aground with 30 people on board shortly after leaving the terminal in Vinalhaven, Maine, on the way to Rockland, Maine, Thursday, June 3, 2010. None of the 26 passengers or four crew members were injured during the accident and there are no reports of pollution. The ferry terminal manager called the Coast Guard around 9:25 a.m., reporting the ferry grounded in The Reach, Maine, near Norton's Point, Maine. “We worked quickly with the Maine State Ferry Service to ensure the vessel was safe to transit to Rockland and to minimize interruptions to ferry service,” said Lt. Lisa Ceraolo of the Sector Northern New England command center.

The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) is soliciting bids for the construction of a 154-ft. LOA replacement ferry vessel for the Maine State Ferry Service, Rockland, Maine. Details of the Invitation for Bids is posted at the MaineDOT website at: http://www.state.me.us/mdot/comprehensive-list-projects/project-information.php For general information regarding Bidding and Contracting procedures, contact Scott Bickford at Tel: (207) 624-3410