North Carolina Department of Transportation has pencilled in a June delivery for its new passenger-only ferry.
Under construction at US Workboats' Swansboro shipyard, the 28.0-metre by 7.9-metre by 2.1-metre aluminium ferry will be used on the existing Hatteras-Ocracoke car ferry route.
Powered by four Caterpillar diesel engines, producing 600kW at 2,300rpm, the ferry will have an operating speed of 28 knots.
NCDOT Ferry Division Director Harold Thomas said the ferry's concept design was done by Elliott Bay Design Group and the completed design by Virginia-based BMT.
The US$9 million passenger ferry project is being funded by a grant from the US Federal Lands Access Program and an appropriation from the General Assembly.