Page 43: of Marine News Magazine (May 2025)

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Vessels

NBBB to Build Incat-Crowther Designed Electric Ferries for San Francisco

Incat Crowther

Ice Floe, LLC, doing business as Nichols Brothers main deck boasts seating for 150 passengers, includ-

Boat Builders (NBBB), won the contract from San Fran- ing six wheelchair accessible spaces, a large kiosk with cisco Bay Ferry to design and build a pair of 43-m bat- bar-style seating, three bathrooms and an easy-to-access tery-electric ferries as part of the agency’s Rapid Electric storage area on the aft deck for bicycles. A large internal

Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program. The new ferries staircase and an additional staircase on the aft deck lead will be capable of transporting 400 passengers and 60 commuters to the upper deck, which seats 204 passen- bicycles at speeds of up to 25 knots and will be amongst gers in a spacious, air-conditioned cabin and a further 48 the most technologically advanced all-electric ferries op- passengers in a covered outdoor deck.

erating anywhere in the world.

The 142’-1” x 34’-9” Subchapter K vessels will oper- SPECIFICATIONS – INCAT CROWTHER 43 ate at 25 knots, serving central bay routes that connect

PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS

Oakland and Alameda to San Francisco. The modular

Length, o.a. 142’ 1” / 43.3m

Length, w.l. 139’ 9” / 42.6m propulsion system features four independent azimuth

Beam 34’ 9” / 10.6m propulsion units, each equipped with a Hydromaster

Draft (prop) 6’ 3” / 1.905m drive, and a scalable energy storage system from Echan-

Depth 11’ 9” / 3.59m dia - including MCS charging units, a DC grid, and ad-

Construction (Hull) Aluminium

Construction (Superstructure) Aluminium vanced DC conversion technology, all provided by EPSI

Fresh Water 396 gal. / 1,500 litres

Wärtsilä North America.

Sullage 396 gallons / 1,500 litres

In a bid to maximize operational ef? ciency, the vessels

Crew 4 will be charged via speci? cally designed electric charg-

Passengers (total) 400 ing ? oats. The charging ? oats will ensure the vessels can

Wheelchair accessible passengers 6

Bicycle capacity 60 be recharged during passenger loading and unloading.

Speed (Max) 25 knots

In an added design feature, the ? oats will serve as the

Propulsion 4 x Hydromaster Series E embarkation and disembarkation pathway between the

Power 4 x 625kW shore-side gangway and the vessels.

Energy storage system Echandia 1603kWh

Flag USA

In addition, the new vessels are progressively styled

Class / Survey USCG 46 CFR, Subchapter K, with a light, open aesthetic and large windows to en-

Protected Waters Routes hance the passenger experience. The vessels’ spacious www.marinelink.com MN 43|