New York Cruise Lines And Green City Ferries Announce Plans To Launch First Zero-Emissions Passenger Ferry In NYC

New York Cruise Lines and Green City Ferries AB (GCF) announced today a collaboration to launch the first high-speed zero-emissions electric ferry to the New York Harbor. With a targeted launch date of Spring 2024 for the introduction of this first-of-its-kind vessel into New York Harbor, the two companies will usher in the new era of cleaner and more efficient marine transportation.  The vessel would operate under the iconic yellow-and-black branding of New York Cruise Lines’ subsidiary New York Water Taxi on the Hudson River between Brooklyn and Manhattan.

“As a leader and innovator in the international marine industry, we are incredibly excited to bring our technology to New York City.  The Beluga24 delivers for New Yorkers a luxury, zero-emission experience with our ultra-quiet, high-speed, low-vibration, fast-charging vessel. Our passengers’ first ride aboard our sleek, fast and efficient ferry will change their expectations of emission-free maritime transportation forever,” said Hans Thornell Chairman of Green City Ferries.

The Beluga24 vessel which is planned for introduction in New York City has a capacity of 147 passengers and 28 bicycles and features a carbon-fiber construction with a rugged, foil-assisted Teknicraft design that results with a low-wake signature in high speed. The above-water layout has an attractive Italian design by Sculli.

Other features include a BAE Systems driveline, Echandia power management, Toshiba batteries, and Hamilton high-speed water jets.  GCF’s exclusive technologies have created the most energy efficient, lightweight, high-speed ferry with the quickest turn-around time on the market. These features allow for optimized uptime, reduced maintenance costs, elimination of fossil fuels and most importantly lead to lower operating costs than diesel vessels.

The collaboration with New York Cruise Lines and New York Water Taxi would be GCF’s first customer in the United States, but not the first commercial deployment of the Beluga24, which is currently scheduled to enter service in Stockholm, Sweden in early 2023. This collaboration will result in the first high-speed zero-emissions electric ferry manufactured in the United States, fostering domestic job opportunities and economic growth in the shipbuilding industry.

“New York Water Taxi has been working to bring cleaner, more efficient ferry service to New York Harbor and we have found the right partner in Green City Ferries.  We can’t wait to thrill our passengers with this ultra-luxurious, zero-emission experience, and together change the public perception on how ferries can improve lives in our city and around the world,” said Craig Kanarick, CEO of New York Cruise Lines.

The advantages of this high-speed, zero-emissions electric ferry are perfectly suited to the transportation service that New York Water Taxi operates for NYU Langone Health, running all day long between Manhattan’s East Side and Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

“NYU Langone Health is excited about the opportunity of adding a high-speed, zero- emissions ferry to our fleet, once it becomes available,” said NYU Langone Health’s Paul Schwabacher, Senior Vice President of Facilities Management, NYU Langone Health. He elaborated saying, “This would be an environmentally sound option, helping to reduce pollution and support the health and wellbeing of our patients, employees, and community. That one of our suppliers has taken the initiative to offer this technology to us is very important and emblematic of the types of partnerships that align with our ambitious goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”

Reference: EIN News

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