The first high-speed zero-emissions electric ferry was announced to operate in the New York harbor. New York Cruise lines and Sweden’s Green City Ferries AB are collaborating on the project. The ferry is expected to be launched in the Spring of 2024.
The new ferry will join the fleet of New York Water Taxi, which is owned by New York Cruise Lines. The ferry will sail on the Hudson River, traveling between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The vessel is a Green City Ferries “Beluga24” model. The vessel has a capacity of 147 passengers and can also carry 28 bicycles. The ferry has a carbon-fiber construction with a Teknicraft design that is assisted by foils. At speeds of around 30 knots, the foil placed midships pulls the ship halfway out of the water, causing low wake wash.
Other features of the vessel include a BAE Systems Driveline, Echandia Power management, Toshiba batteries, and Hamilton high-speed water jets. The vessel is also reported to have the quickest turnaround time in the market. The features of the ship allow it to have minimum maintenance costs, optimized uptime, and lower operating costs than comparable diesel vessels.
The collaboration with New York Cruise lines will be Green City Ferries’ first customer in the United States. The model Beluga24 is also reported to enter service in Stockholm, Sweden in early 2023.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.