MV John F. Kennedy

The MV John F. Kennedy is the last remaining active Kennedy class ferry operating for the Staten Island Ferry, carrying passengers between Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan and St. George Terminal in Staten Island. Built by the Levingston Shipbuilding Company between 1963 and 1965 for the Department of Marine and Aviation , the John F. Kennedy was delivered May 14, 1965[4].

John F. Kennedy approaching Manhattan in November 2015.
History
Name: MV John F. Kennedy
Namesake: John F. Kennedy
Owner: City of New York
Operator: Staten Island Ferry/City of New York
Port of registry: New York
Ordered: 1963
Builder: Levingston Shipbuilding Company[1]
Yard number: 647
Launched: 1965
Completed: May 14, 1965
Identification:
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class and type: Kennedy-class passenger ferry
Tonnage: 2109[1]
Length: 277 ft (84 m)[1]
Beam: 69 ft (21 m)[1]
Draft: 19 ft 1 in (5.82 m)[2]
Decks: 3
Installed power: 6,500 horsepower[1]
Propulsion: 4 GM-EMD 567C16 diesel engines[1]
Speed: 11.4 knots (21.1 km/h) (average)[3]
Capacity: 3,500 passengers, 40 cars[1]

History

John F. Kennedy was named for the 35th President of the United States. She entered service in 1965 alongside her two sister ships, the MV American Legion and the MV The Gov. Herbert H. Lehman. While American Legion was retired in 2006 as the newer Molinari-class ferries entered service, and The Gov. Herbert H. Lehman was decommissioned the following year,[1] John F. Kennedy has remained in service as a favorite of both passengers and ferry operators, mainly running "as needed" on weekday schedules (when four of the six boats are needed for service). Captains consider her to be the most reliable vessel in the fleet,[5] and riders prefer her abundant open-air deck space.[6]

John F. Kennedy is currently planned to be retired in 2020, along with the two Barberi-class ferries from 1981-82. These three vessels will be replaced by a new trio of ferries, collectively known as the Ollis-class.[7] The design of this new class will be heavily influenced by John F. Kennedy, featuring her distinctive outdoor promenades and extended foredecks.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Staten Island Ferry Current Ferries". The Staten Island Ferry. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  2. "Coast Guard Vessel Documentation". NOAA. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  3. "JOHN F KENNEDY". FleetMon. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  4. Tim Colton, "U.S. Shipbuilding History: Levingston Shipbuilding, Orange TX", http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/levingston.htm
  5. "SI Ferry captain warns: the ships are ticking time bombs". New York Post. April 6, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  6. "Next generation of ferries to be modeled after popular Kennedy class boats". SILive.com. July 25, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  7. "Eastern low bidder for Staten Island Ferry contract". Marine Log. November 3, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
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