San Francisco Gets $11 Million Grant for High-Speed Electric Ferries

The San Francisco Bay Ferry has secured an $11 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to help purchase the first high-speed electric ferries ever built in the United States.  

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the operator of the ferry service, wants to buy two classes of high-speed electric ferries for new and existing routes. The first phase of the plan calls for three 150-passenger battery electric ferries serving downtown and two up-and-coming waterfront neighborhoods, Mission Bay and Treasure Island. 

Together with other contributions from state and local partners, WETA now has more than $130 million set aside to build out its battery-electric fleet and the associated shoreside infrastructure. The construction program calls for a charging float at the downtown terminal, a new charging station at the Treasure Island terminal, and a brand new electric-ready terminal for Mission Bay. 

WETA has a design in hand for the 150-passenger vessel model and is soliciting quotes from shipyards; all going to plan, it expects to take delivery of its first battery-electric model in 2026. 

In phase two, WETA wants to buy two larger electric ferries capable of moving 400 passengers at a time, and will then convert four of its existing 400-passenger ferries to battery-electric operation. 

San Francisco's $11 million award is one of 18 newly-announced federal grants that will underwrite ferry newbuilds and shore infrastructure in 14 states, including eight projects for low-emissions propulsion. The largest single federal grant went to the Alaska Marine Highway System, which received $106 million. The funding will be used to buy a much-needed diesel-electric newbuild vessel to serve Southeast Alaska.