[By: Eastern Shipbuilding Group]
Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. (ESG) has been awarded “Boat of the Year” by WorkBoat for the MICHAEL H. OLLIS, a 4,500-passenger ferry the Panama City-based company built for the New York City Department of Transportation Staten Island Ferry Division. Eastern was recognized at an awards ceremony at the 41st International WorkBoat Show in New Orleans, LA.
“It’s an honor to be recognized at the largest commercial shipbuilding event in the world and to be selected for this prestigious award. The Michael H. Ollis Staten Island Ferry is in a league of its own with the Buy America certifications, environmental protections, high energy efficiency, innovative safety measures, powerful performance, and elegant design features. We are proud to deliver this exceptional vessel that millions of passengers will get to ride,” said Joey D’Isernia, President of Eastern Shipbuilding Group.
The second Ollis Class Ferry, SANDY GROUND, completed sea trials in November and is scheduled to be towed up to New York from ESG’s Port St. Joe shipyard this month.
The new ferries are larger, reflect modern technology, and will operate more safely in extreme weather conditions. They feature popular design elements of past Staten Island Ferries and new customer-service amenities such as more comfortable seating and phone-charging outlets and an oval upper-deck promenade that will for the first time serve as an outdoor “walking track” for ferry riders. They have the latest in marine technology for energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. There are design features on the vessels that are part of the emergency response plan with the city.
The three Ollis Class double ended 4,500 passenger ferries, are designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, with each ferry featuring four ABS Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) L12ME23B @ 750 rpm EPA Tier 4 marine propulsion engines with two engines powering one ABS Reintjes DUP 3000 P combining gear and one ABS 36 RV6 ECS/285-2 Voith Schneider Propeller at each end of the vessel. Power generation is provided by three ABS, EPA Tier 3 marine continuous duty diesel generator sets, Caterpillar C18 driving 480 V, 60 Hz, 3-phase generators rated at 425 kW at 0.8 P.F. @ 1800 rpm.
