USA: Kvichak Marine Industries and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders recently delivered the third of four high-speed, environmentally friendly ferries to the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) located in San Francisco.
'Scorpio', measuring 36 metres by 8.8 metres by 1.8 metres, is a high-speed catamaran with a cruising speed of 25 knots at 85 percent of engine MCR.
The all aluminium vessel has an interior seating capacity for 159 passengers and additional exterior seating for 49 passengers. The vessel will also carry 34 bicycles, which is 20 percent more than similar vessels in the San Francisco Bay area.
'Scorpio' will join the fleet of two vessels delivered earlier this year, the 'Gemini' and 'Pisces'.
The vessel incorporates many environmentally friendly features, including a low wake wash and shallow draught hulls to reduce the vessels impact on the shoreline and ocean bottom, and an emissions reduction system for the diesel engines.
The vessels exhaust emissions have been reduced by 85 percent of the current EPA Tier II requirements. This was accomplished by incorporating a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system into the diesel exhaust. The vessel will also use ultra low sulphur diesel fuel.
The vessel incorporates enhanced safety and security measures such as a CCTV system, voyage data recorder, added CEDs onboard and additional life saving apparatus that surpasses USCG T-Boat requirements.