Incat Crowther says new WETA ferries will be among world’s most technologically advanced

Image: Incat Crowther

Designer Incat Crowther has released more details of the two 400-passenger battery-electric ferries recently ordered at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders by San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system.

The new Incat Crowther ferries will be capable of transporting 400 passengers and 60 bicycles at speeds of up to 25 knots and will be among the most technologically advanced all-electric ferries operating anywhere in the world.

Providing an efficient and reliable service on busy San Francisco Bay Area commuter routes, the new vessels will connect Oakland, Alameda, Seaplane Lagoon and Harbor Bay to San Francisco and are optimized to service additional routes in the future. The vessels will help San Francisco Bay Ferry to significantly reduce emissions and advance sustainable transportation in the region.

The 43-meter long vessels will feature a modular propulsion system compromising four independent azimuth propulsion units from Hydromaster. The electrical integration will be provided by Wärtsilä , including a scalable energy storage system from Echandia, MCS charging at a total of 5 MW, a DC grid, and advanced DC conversion technology.

In a bid to maximize operational efficiency, the vessels will be charged via specifically designed electric charging floats. The charging floats will ensure the vessels can be recharged during passenger loading and unloading. In an added design feature, the floats will serve as the embarkation and disembarkation pathway between the shore-side gangway and the vessels.

In addition to being technologically advanced, the new WETA vessels are progressively styled with a light, open aesthetic and large windows to enhance the passenger experience. The vessels’ spacious main deck offers seating for 150 passengers, including six wheelchair accessible spaces, a large kiosk with bar-style seating, three bathrooms and an easy-to-access storage area on the aft deck for bicycles.

A large internal staircase and an additional staircase on the aft deck lead commuters to the upper deck, which seats 204 passengers in a spacious, air-conditioned cabin and a further 48 passengers in a covered outdoor deck.

Commenting on the project, Incat Crowther’s technical manager, Dan Mace said: “Incat Crowther is looking forward to partnering with WETA as it enters a new era of low and zero emission public transport. We have a proven track record of designing bespoke low and zero emission ferry and infrastructure solutions for mass public transport operators around the world. We’re looking forward to deploying this experience, as well as our deep understanding of the region’s unique operating conditions on this project to design reliable, emissions-free, low-wash ferries for WETA.”

Incat Crowther and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders’ Washington shipyard. The two companies have a long relationship, having previously delivered 29 commercial passenger vessels together.

Technical particulars of the ferries HERE