Ollis-class ferry
The Ollis-class ferries are passenger ferries that are planned to enter service for the Staten Island Ferry in the early 2020s.[1] The class is named after US Army Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, a Staten Islander who was killed in action during the War in Afghanistan in 2013.[2][3]
Class overview | |
---|---|
Builders: | Eastern Shipbuilding |
Operators: | Staten Island Ferry |
Preceded by: | Molinari-class |
In service: | 2020s- |
Planned: | 3 |
General characteristics | |
Type: | Ollis-class passenger ferry |
Length: | 320 ft (98 m) |
Beam: | 70 ft (21 m) |
Draft: | 13 ft (4.0 m) |
Propulsion: | EMD 710 diesel engines |
Capacity: | 4,500 passengers |
Crew: | 16 |
History
Early work on the class began in August 2014, after a study into the future of Staten Island Ferry's fleet showed that the most economical course would be new-build ships instead of rebuilding existing vessels.[4] The Elliott Bay Design Group was awarded a contract to design the new ships, which will replace MV John F. Kennedy and MV Andrew J. Barberi, resulting in one additional ship in the Staten Island Ferry fleet.[5][4] The following month, substantial funding for the project, covering the construction of two ships, was secured with a $191.6 million federal grant from the Hurricane Sandy relief bill.[6] As part of the new order, city officials allowed passengers to vote on the types of seats that would be installed in the new fleet.[7]
In November 2016, Eastern Shipbuilding was confirmed as the low bidder for constructing the ships,[2] and the shipyard was awarded the contract with a notice to proceed on March 1, 2017.[3] The final price for construction of the three vessels was $314 million; in addition to the federal grant, state and city funding was also used.[3] The first vessel, MV Michael H. Ollis, was expected to be delivered in mid-2019,[3] followed later that year by MV Sandy Ground, named after an early African American settlement on Staten Island. The as-yet-unnamed third vessel would have been delivered in 2020.[8]
A petition to name the third Ollis-class ship after Staten Island firefighter John G. Chipura, who died in the September 11 attacks, reached 11,000 signatures by September 2017.[9] Other proposed namesakes include Russel Timoshenko, an NYPD officer killed in the line of duty in 2007.[10]
In October 2018, the timeline for the ferries' delivery was pushed back. Some of the parts for the first two Ollis-class ferries were being manufactured at Eastern Shipbuilding's shipyard in Panama City, Florida, which had been severely damaged after Hurricane Michael that month.[11][12] MV Michael H. Ollis was launched in November 2019, with an expected delivery date of August 2020.[13] MV Sandy Ground was launched in June 2020.[14]
Design
Each ship of the class will be 320 feet (98 m) long, with a beam of 70 feet (21 m), and a loaded draft of 13 feet (4.0 m).[3] They will carry 4,500 passengers, with a crew complement of 16.[3][14] They will be powered by four EMD 12-710 diesel engines arranged in two married pairs, each of which drive a cycloidal propeller at each end of the ship for double-ended operation.[3]
References
- "Staten Island Ferry: A look back at the various boats". Staten Island Advance. April 26, 2016. Retrieved 2017-09-21.
- "Eastern low bidder for Staten Island Ferry contract". Marine Log. November 3, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
- "Eastern Shipbuilding confirms deal for Staten Island Ferries". Marine Log. April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
- "EBDG awarded Staten Island Ferry design contract". Marine Log. August 4, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
- Barone, Vin (August 6, 2014). "New York City selects designer for new fleet of Staten Island ferries". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
- "$191.6 million grant for new Staten Island Ferries". Marine Log. September 17, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
- Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (September 28, 2015). "Staten Island Ferry Riders Helping to Pick New Seats". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
- "Staten Island Ferry to be Named After Underground Railroad Stop, Mayor Says". DNAinfo. April 14, 2017. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
- Porpora, Tracey (September 10, 2017). "Petition to name ferry boat after 9/11 hero reaches 11,000". SILive.com. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
- Rizzi, Nicholas (2016-10-19). "Murdered NYPD Officer Could Have Staten Island Ferry Named After Him". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
- Knudson, Annalise (October 17, 2018). "Fla. company building new Staten Island ferries damaged in Hurricane Michael". Staten island Advance. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- "Workers return after hurricane to hard-hit Eastern Shipbuilding". Marine Log. 2018-10-18. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- "Watch a New Staten Island Ferry Get Launched into the Water". Untapped New York. 2019-11-18. Retrieved 2020-06-30.
- "Eastern Shipbuilding launches second new Staten Island ferry". Workboat. July 2, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2020.