FERRIES 2024: A milestone in zero-emission ferry operations

The Sea Change ferry underway in San Francisco. (Credit: SWITCH Maritime)

In a significant advance for sustainable maritime transportation, SWITCH Maritime’s hydrogen fuel cell ferry, the Sea Change, recently received its U.S. Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection (COI). This certification marks the ferry’s official readiness to begin commercial operations, offering a zero-emission public ferry service in California.

Seamus Nolan, director of corporate development at SWITCH Maritime, will provide an in-depth presentation at the 37th annual Marine Log FERRIES conference, held on October 29-30 at the Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle, Wash. Nolan’s presentation will cover:

• Collaborative Achievement: A detailed account of the partnership between SWITCH Maritime and the U.S. Coast Guard in securing the COI for the Sea Change.
• Impact on Net-Zero Adoption: How this milestone is poised to accelerate the adoption of net-zero vessels and shape the future of ferry operations.
• Future Prospects: An overview of the Sea Change’s future, including its operational plans and potential industry impact.

Join us at the conference to explore this groundbreaking development and its implications for sustainable ferry operations and the broader maritime sector.

ABOUT MARINE LOG’S FERRIES 2024

Drawing heavily on actual operator and owner experiences and feedback, FERRIES 2024 will focus on how ferry owners and operators—both large and small—can learn from ferry success stories and lessons learned to improve their own vessel operations via improved technologies and low-carbon alternatives to increase ridership and maximize business efficiencies.

The program will also explore new ways to meet economic and environmental targets through technological advances, innovative vessel operations, and the latest trends in ferry design.

This year’s program includes four panels focusing on varying topics, including an update on electrifying the Washington State Ferries system, a case study on ferry service expansions, and how operators can leverage technologies in their ferry operations. Other exciting topics include how the Sea Change—the highly anticipated hydrogen fuel cell ferry—recently achieved a Certificate of Inspection from the U.S. Coast Guard; managing “chaos” facing small ferry operators with multiple short daily trips; the necessity of a service contingency plan, with insights from Washington State Ferries; a look at recently delivered ferries, including a new Subchapter T ferry built for Angel Island Tiburon Ferry.

The complete agenda can be found here. For inquiries regarding sponsorships or ways you can connect with FERRIES 2024 attendees, contact David Harkey at dharkey@sbpub.com.