US federal grant funding approved for ferry modernisation in 14 states

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced grants totaling nearly US$300 million made available by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand and modernise the nation's ferry systems.

In total, FTA is awarding 18 grants in projects in 14 states. Federal funding will support projects such as replacing old vessels with electric ships that reduce greenhouse gas pollution and improve air quality, expanding fleets, and building new terminals and docks.

Of the 18 projects, eight are receiving federal support for environmentally friendly propulsion technologies, such as electric ferries and charging equipment.

Selected Fiscal Year 2024 ferry projects include the following:

• The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will receive US$106.4 million to build a new ferry to replace a 60-year-old vessel. The new ferry, which will feature a diesel-electric propulsion system, will serve rural southwest Alaska.

• The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) will receive US$11.5 million to build two new electric ferries to support the agency's emission free ferry service between downtown San Francisco, Treasure Island, and Mission Bay.

• The Maine Department of Transportation will receive approximately US$16.6 million to modernise rural ferry terminals in Lincolnville and Islesboro, in northeast Maine, that were built in 1959. The project will support the future operation of a new hybrid ferry that will service these two communities.