Washington subsidies adoption of electric ferries nationwide
According to the FTA, it will fully or partially fund 18 projects in 14 states. Eight of these projects involve switching to “environmentally friendly propulsion technologies, such as electric ferries and charging equipment.” These will be fully funded.
One of these projects is headed by the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). It will receive 11.5 million dollars to build two new electric ferries that will travel between San Francisco, Treasure Island and Mission Bay. WETA hopes to ” shift 50% of the vessel fleet to zero emissions by 2035.”
According to its website, WETA applied for the FTA grant in October 2021. At the time, it was for a $6.88 million grant from the FTA Passenger Ferry Grant programme, one of three FTA competitive grant programmes said to “boost ferry service in rural areas, modernise urban ferry systems, and lower emissions by speeding the adoption of low- and zero-emission technology.”
“This historic funding for FTA’s Ferry Programs will enhance ways for people to travel by water,” said FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “We applaud ferry agencies for taking the big step toward electrification, increasing reliability, and bringing their ageing ferry systems into a state of good repair.”
0 Comments