Eastern cuts steel for first of three Staten Island ferries

SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 — Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc., Panama City, FL, recently hosted a steel cutting ceremony with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) Staten Island Ferry Division

The ceremony marked the start of construction of the first of three new 320 ft Ollis Class ferries and took place in Eastern’s steel processing and prefabrication building at its Allanton facility in Panama City. This indoor facility supports both of Eastern’s new construction shipyards with state of the art numerically controlled equipment, and a highly skilled workforce.

Attending the ceremony from Staten Island Ferry Division was John Collins, Director of Ferry Engineering and Bill Tomalonis, Vessel Construction Manager SIF Division. Eastern’s CEO, Brian D’Isernia, and President, Joey D’Isernia ,greeted the attendees. Eastern’s project managers for construction, outfitting, and delivery of the ferries are Kenneth Winpigler, Joe Stark, and Brian D’Isernia Jr.

Project engineering staff from the firms of Elliott Bay Design Group, which undertook preliminary design of the ferry, and Glosten Associates were also in attendance at the steel cutting.

Onsite owners’ representation for the duration of the project will be managed by Glosten Associates

Eastern has selected Guido Perla & Associates to produce the detailed design work while Eastern’s Vice President of Engineering Fernando Malabet and Naval Architect Kim Brooks are overseeing the design and engineering efforts for the project.

The three Ollis Class double-ended 4500 passenger ferries are based on a preliminary design provided by Elliot Bay Design Group, with each ferry featuring four Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) 12-710 Tier 4 compliant propulsion engines. Total installed horsepower is 9,980 HP. The double-ended ferries have two engines at each end of the vessel, powering one Reintjes DUP 3000 P combining reduction gears and one 36 RV6 ECS/285-2 Voith Schneider propeller

• Length Overall 320′-0″
• Length on Design Load Waterline 308′-3 1/2″
• Beam, Molded 70′-0″
• Beam over Guards 70′-3″
• Depth at Main Deck at Side 21′-6
• Draft to DLWL 13′-0″ Gross
• Tonnage, Estimated 4,570 Tons