Americas News
Wärtsilä to Work on Zero-Emission Electric Ferries in US
Engineering firm Wärtsilä has signed a deal to work on the first zero-emission high-speed ferries in the US.
The firm has signed a partnership agreement to provide fleet electrification and systems integrator services for five fully electric ferries being built for San Francisco's Water Emergency Transportation Authority, it said in an emailed statement on Tuesday.
The project will involve the construction of three ferries with a capacity of about 150 passengers each, and two more 300-passenger vessels, starting before the end of this year. The ferries are expected to start commercial operations in 2025.
"This is a major project within the maritime sector's journey towards decarbonisation, and we are proud to be a part of it," Hanno Schoonman, AMER sales director at Wärtsilä Marine Power, said in the statement.
"Wärtsilä joins an industry leading team tasked to develop newbuild battery electric vessels that combine innovative technology and sustainable practices.
"Wärtsilä is well qualified to provide this project support, and this agreement is a clear endorsement of our strong track record in systems integration and emission-free propulsion."
