Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (January 2022)

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Feature

Passenger Vessels from Edison Chouest’s LaShip yard in Houma, La. With riders who worked from home during the pandemic. The its riverboat ? eet, Viking has been an early adopter of Staten Island Ferry, part of New York City’s Department diesel electric propulsion. Though headquartered in Eu- of Transportation, took delivery of the ? rst of three new rope, the company is on a path to achieving Jones Act 4,500 double-ended passenger vessels designed with quick compliance through an arrangement where the vessel turnarounds in mind, SSG Michael H. Ollis, from East- (costing nearly $200 million, based on documents re- ern Shipbuilding (in western Florida), in Summer 2021; lated to its ? nancing submitted to MARAD) is owned by the vessel was formally commissioned in October 2021. several U.S. based “citizen” af? liates of Edison Chouest, The ferry, constructed at the shipyard’s Allanton and Port and time-chartered to a U.S “non-citizen” entity tied to St. Joe locations, bene? ts from Elliott Bay Design Group’s

Viking. In late 2021, a number of U.S. based competi- naval architecture. The second vessel in the series, Sandy tors in the river and coastwise cruising market had voiced Ground, departed from Port St. Joe in early December, concern to MARAD regarding the characterization of the 2021; it will enter service in Spring, 2022, after ? nal work charter. In effort to meet the complicated set of Jones Act at a local yard on Staten Island. A third ferry, Dorothy requirements, the operator of the vessel would be a U.S. Day, is set for a late 2022 delivery. citizen Edison Chouest af? liate, putting it onto a time Each double ended ferry features four ABS Electro-Mo- charter to Viking (with Viking providing hospitality and tive Diesel (EMD) L12ME23B EPA Tier 4 marine propul- hotel functions). sion engines, and one Voith Schneider propeller, at each

Timing is everything, and happily on the East Coast ex- end of the vessel. The vessels’ cost has been reported at pansions are set to coincide with the return to the of? ce for around $85 million, each. The ferry service, linking Staten

River and coastwise cruises are gaining interest as many U.S. vacationers are choosing to avoid travel abroad. River cruise vessel American Jazz was delivered to American Cruise Lines in 2020.

ACL Eastern Shipbuilding Group 22 | MN January 2022