Kitsap Transit Secures Funding for Zero-emission Hydrofoil Ferry Project

Kitsap Transit has been awarded $1.2 million to design an all-electric, zero-emission fast ferry demonstration vessel and its accompanying shoreside charging infrastructure, the Washington State Department of Commerce announced. This funding complements a previous $4 million grant from the state legislature aimed at developing a scaled-down version of the 150-passenger Foil Ferry, engineered by Glosten and Bieker Boats, which is intended to validate the technology's viability for future operations on Puget Sound.

The $4 million grant will become available on January 1, 2025, provided the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) remains intact; a ballot initiative could potentially repeal this act, which funds the Move Ahead Washington legislation allocating $3 billion for public transit over the next 16 years. If successful, Kitsap Transit plans to pursue federal funding to construct a full-scale version of the Foil Ferry.

Kitsap Transit previously sought $18.5 million from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in 2022 for the project but was not awarded the funding. However, in 2020, the FTA granted Kitsap Transit $372,910 as part of its Accelerating Innovative Mobility initiative.

“We will need federal funding in order to build the Foil Ferry and bring this vision of zero emission ferry travel to fruition,” said John Clauson, Executive Director of Kitsap Transit. “We look forward to the design and construction of this demonstration vessel and hope it will spur excitement at the federal level to support this type of innovation in maritime transport.”  

Research funded by the FTA indicates that the Foil Ferry could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 74% and lower operational costs by 35% compared to current diesel-powered ferries on the Bremerton-to-Seattle route.

Paul Bieker, a partner at Bieker Boats, emphasized the vessel's design advantages, stating, “We achieved this by combining hydrofoil technology developed in the America’s Cup with lightweight carbon fiber composite construction and modern zero-emissions propulsion equipment.

“This technology represents a giant step forward in efficiency for high-speed transportation over water.” Bieker added.

The demonstration vessel will feature the same hydrofoil design and battery-electric propulsion as the proposed full-size ferry, offering valuable real-world feedback to refine the design and enhance reliability.

“Foil Ferry presents an exciting opportunity for the state of Washington to introduce sustainable, high-speed travel to the region,” said Lisa Renehan, managing director of Foil Ferry, LLC. “The business model is proof that not only is our design feasible—it is actionable.

“Now that Foil Ferry has this funding, we have the chance to demonstrate how hydrofoil vessels could one day transport commuters crossing the Puget Sound and replace conventional diesel-fueled fast ferries.”

The project is led by a consortium including Glosten, Bieker Boats and Kitsap Transit, along with support from Washington Maritime Blue and local ports  Anacortes, Bellingham and Skagit.

Kitsap Transit is one of 46 organizations to receive grants from the Washington Climate Commitment Act, which aims to advance clean energy technology and support sustainable development across the state.