NYSERDA awards SWITCH $2M for 150-passenger design develoment
Written by Nick Blenkey
SWITCH Maritime 150-passenger design
New York State has awarded SWITCH Maritime LLC $2 million to develop and demonstrate a 150-passenger vessel that will be New York’s first hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry to provide zero-emission transportation on New York City waters.
The grant is one of five clean hydrogen projects yesterday awarded a total of $11 million in grants. They were selected through the Advanced Fuels and Thermal Energy Research Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
SWITCH Maritime co-founder and CEO Pace Ralli said, “SWITCH aims to provide municipal ferry operators with viable zero-emission options to replace their aging, diesel-powered vessels. Funding from NYSERDA’s Clean Hydrogen Innovation Program accelerates SWITCH’s ability to demonstrate a hydrogen-powered 150-passenger ferry for NYC waterways, without sacrificing operational performance. New York State is a powerhouse of innovation and climate action; we can’t think of a better place to launch this groundbreaking vessel.”
Ralli will be a featured speaker at Marine Log’s 38th annual FERRIES conference, taking place November 4-5 in Jersey City, across from lower Manhattan and is expected to say more about the150-passenger, 25-knot NYC ferry as well as talking about lessons learned from\ the launch and ongoing operations of the Sea Change, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell-electric passenger ferry, which began service with San Francisco Bay Ferry in July 2024.
