The new ferry will cut down on emissions and be more environmentally friendly. (Photo from Visit Delaware)
A $20 million grant will help Delaware pay for a new eco-friendly ship to add to its Cape May-Lewes Ferry fleet.
Money from the U.S. Department of Transportation to the Delaware River and Bay Authority to replace a more than 40-year-old diesel engine ferry that serves passengers who travel between Lewes, Delaware and Cape May, New Jersey with a diesel-hybrid ferry.
“On behalf of the Delaware River and Bay Authority, I want to thank the Delaware congressional delegation for their collective and persistent efforts to obtain this vital federal funding to construct the next generation of vessels for the Cape May – Lewes Ferry,” said Thomas Cook, executive director of the authority.
The diesel-hybrid ferry will operate with lower emissions compared to a diesel ferry, and it will allow zero-emission operations while near port and while docked.
The hybrid and all-electric operating modes are estimated to achieve the following annual reductions:
- 2,025 tons in carbon dioxide
- 102.7 tons in nitrogen dioxide
- 1.51 tons of fine particulate matter
- 1.03 tons of hydrocarbons
- 5 tons of carbon monoxide
The new engines will also reduce fuel consumption by 35 percent.
“We expect our naval architects to complete the final design package by year’s end and we expect to solicit bids to begin construction of this first vessel in 2025 so the timing couldn’t be better,” Cook said.
The goal, he said, is to improve service and reduce operating costs while laying the foundation for sustainable ferry operations for the next generation of customers.
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Delaware and a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, pointed out that the ferry connects hundreds of thousands of people between Delaware and New Jersey every year.
It boosts regional tourism, supports ferry workers and spurs investments in local businesses and economy, she said.
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Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
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