SF Bay Ferry orders three battery-electric ferries in $46 million deal

U.S. public ferry service provider San Francisco Bay Ferry (SF Bay Ferry) has entered into an agreement to purchase the nation’s first three battery-electric high-speed passenger ferries from All American Marine.

The purchase was authorized by SF Bay Ferry’s Board of Directors on December 2, 2024, as part of the agency’s Rapid Electric Emission-Free Ferry (REEF) Program for transitioning to zero-emission propulsion technology.

Under the $46 million contract, All American Marine will build three 15-passenger vessels at its facility in Bellingham, Washington, with the first ferry expected to join the SF Bay Ferry fleet in early 2027.

The vessels will be 30.48 meters long with a 7.9-meter beam and a 1.5-meter draft, operating at 24 knots, powered by dual 625-kilowatt electric motors.

The newbuilds will operate on new SF Bay Ferry routes that connect the rest of the region to Treasure Island and Mission Bay. The contract also includes an option for a fourth 150-passenger vessel.

Aurora Marine Design (AMD) led the conceptual design of the vessels as a part of SF Bay Ferry’s REEF integration team. Teknicraft will team up with All American Marine as the naval architect on this project. SF Bay Ferry’s electrification system integrator Wärtsilä will ensure that the technology and equipment used for the battery-electric vessels and infrastructure work seamlessly together to maximize system flexibility, resilience and cost-effectiveness, the agency disclosed.

SF Bay Ferry noted it is also currently requesting proposals for the purchase of two 400-passenger high-speed, battery-electric ferries to operate transbay routes connecting Oakland and Alameda to San Francisco.

“Once again, the Bay Area leads the way,” said Jim Wunderman, Chair of SF Bay Ferry’s Board of Directors. “This investment will connect new neighborhoods in San Francisco and lay the groundwork for widespread regional and national adoption of zero-emission water transit. This is a historic moment for SF Bay Ferry’s electrification efforts.”

In addition to the new battery-electric vessels, the SF Bay Ferry’s REEF Program includes conversion of four diesel 400-passenger ferries to zero-emission technology, terminal electrification across the system, and expansion and electrification of the agency’s Central Bay Operations and Maintenance Facility in Alameda.

So far, the agency has secured roughly $200 million in funding from local, state, and federal agencies to implement its REEF Program, including state and federal funding for system planning, new battery-electric vessels, and shoreside infrastructure.

Most recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded the Port of San Francisco and SF Bay Ferry $55 million to build and electrify the Mission Bay Ferry Landing, electrify the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal, and purchase an additional 400-passenger battery-electric ferry.