NYC Ferry welcomes first low emission ships

Incat Crowther has delivered the first two low emission EPA Tier 4 compliant passenger ferries to NYC Ferry.

NYC Ferry is an expanding network of ferry routes in New York City operated by Hornblower.

“Although the vessels were commissioned prior to the current tragic circumstances caused by the COVID-19 emergency, it is expected that the high passenger demand NYC Ferry has experienced since commencing operations in 2017 will return,” Incat Crowther said.

The new vessels complement the seventeen Incat Crowther designed 26-meter-long vessels and fourteen 29-meter-long ships already delivered to NYC Ferry.

Four additional 26-meter vessels are currently under construction at Gulf Craft and Metal Shark, both of Franklin, LA, along with one additional 29-meter vessel under construction at St John’s Shipbuilding in Palatka, FL. Upon completion of these additional vessels, the NYC Ferry fleet will have grown to 38 vessels in just over three years.

All the vessels are equipped with main engines from Baudouin, but unlike any of the existing vessels in operation, the new vessels are equipped with EPA Tier 4 compliant engines which further reduce emissions, according to the company.

In order to bring the engines into compliance with Tier 4, Incat Crowther integrated a Baudouin-supplied SCR system into the vessel design along with the necessary urea tanks and dosing system components.

As explained, the Incat Crowther Digital Ship design package allowed the identical vessels to be constructed at independent shipyards — Halimar Shipyard of Morgan City, LA and Breaux Brothers Enterprises of Loreauville, LA.

The newly delivered units, which can reach a speed of 26.5 knots, feature a length of 29.6 meters and a width of 8.5 meters. They are able to accommodate 354 passengers and eight crew members.