The digital shipbuilder Incat Crowther has signed a contract with the Los Angeles ferry operator Catalina Express to design a new low-emission, renewable diesel-powered passenger ferry.
The new ferry will form part of the Port of Los Angeles’ US$31m Los Angeles Marine Emission Reduction (LA MER) project, funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), according to Incat Crowther.
Catalina Express was awarded a US$15m grant to match its own US$15m contribution to the project, as LA MER aims to test and evaluate emission-reduction technologies as part of the Port of Los Angeles’ goal of becoming a zero-emission port.
The new ordered 48-metre (160 foot) passenger ferry will service the popular one-hour tourist route between Los Angeles’ Long Beach Port and Santa Catalina Island.
The passenger ferry, capable of transporting up to 516 passengers across three spacious decks at speeds of up to 37 knots, will be powered by renewable diesel fuel (R-99) comprised of plant-based stocks.
The new vessel will replace three smaller Tier 2 and Tier 3 ferries with a combined six diesel engines.
Construction on the new vessel, which will take place at Marine Group Boat Works in San Diego, California, is planned to start in July 2025 with sea trials expected to occur in 2027.
