NY Waterway to Purchase Three Boats

NY Waterway has contracted with Allen Marine, Inc., of Sitka, Alaska, for the purchase of three faster new ferry boats. Delivery is expected later this year. The 79-ft. catamarans will be custom-designed to combine the front passenger access feature necessary for quick loading and unloading on high-density commuter routes, with the additional speed provided by the dual hull. The vessels will have a 149-passenger capacity with a top speed of 27 knots. The boats are powered by four Caterpillar 3406E diesel engines, creating up to 700 hp each, and driving four Hamilton 362 water jets. There are two engines and two jets mounted in each hull. NY Waterway, the largest privately-owned commuter ferry operator in the U.S., presently has 19 ferries, including 11 400-passenger boats designed for direct river crossings of two miles or less, and five faster crew boats. The three Allen Marine boats will be used on middle-distance routes. The will be built in Sitka, and transported by ship through the Panama Canal to New York.