Launching early summer 2017, NYC Ferry by Hornblower will provide a new, affordable way to travel between waterfront communities throughout New York City. Subsidized by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, $2.75 per ride will allow New Yorkers work, live and play in the city that never sleeps, enjoying ferry service across a four ferry routes stretching a full 60 miles of waterways reaching from Astoria to Far Rockaway.
“Witnesses of the first ferry landing installation sign the steel pile that will support the Citywide ferry service landing in Far Rockaway. Photo via Skanska” – UntappedCities.com
On January 25th, 2017, the first of a total of ten new NYC Ferry landings opening this year began construction. The new landing is currently being installed at Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive in the Rockaways, where it will further connect to a shuttle bus. The event was attended by incoming NYCEDC President James Patchett.
More than 100 employees are working tirelessly at both Horizon Shipbuilding (AL) and Metal Shark Boats(LA) to complete the total of 16 ferries that will be sailing up and down the New York City harbor come summertime. So how far along the way are the vessels today?
Horizon Shipbuilding
Our Special Projects Coordinator, Sarah McDonald, inspecting one of the vessels
The Alabama shipyard is currently in process of building all ten of their contracted vessels for NYC Ferry by Hornblower, and begun construction of the first vessel in July 2016. This shipyard builds the vessels from hull to superstructure completing one total piece at the time, equipping each layer of the vessel with its appropriate electronics, fabrication, and piping before moving to the next level of the vessel.
Vessel #1
When we visited the shipbuilding topic in the end of December, this vessel had reached roughly 130 days of construction, it had almost completed insulation installation and the piping was at 80%. Today, this vessel has completed all welding, the piping system is 95% complete, while the completion of the mechanic system is at 95% and outfitting at 60%.
Vessel #2
A month ago, we visited this vessel while its mechanic system was 40% completed, and it was headed for joinery package installation in early 2017. Today, Horizon Shipbuilding’s second vessel has reached 75% completion of its piping system, 75% of its mechanic system, and has reached 40% of its outfitting phase.
Vessel #3
In December, this vessel was still receiving finishing touches of its metal fabrication (85%) and insulation installation (65%), which has now been completed. At this time, the vessel has completed its structure work, the welding has reached 50%, and its outfitting has recently begun, reaching 10% completion. The installation of the joinery package will begin in February 2017.
Vessel #4
The fourth vessel was had completed 85% of its metal fabrication, 30% of the piping system, and it had begun installing the electrical system when we checked in with its progress in December. Today, the structure work has reached 90%, its welding is at 40% completion, mechanic system has reached 55% completion, and the outfitting was recently started. The joinery package installation will begin in February 2017.
Vessel #5
The fifth vessel had made it to 55% completion of its metal fabrication, and begun the engine pre alignment when we visited the shipyard in December. In the end of January, the fifth vessel has completed 70% of its structure work, 40% of its welding, 35% of the piping system, and 25% of its mechanic system.
Vessels #6-10
These are the second half of vessels being constructed at this shipyard, all in the beginning phases of metal fabrication.
Metal Shark Boats
This shipyard begins the shipbuilding process by building the hulls upside down, and once this section has been completed, the hull is flipped and waits for the superstructure and pilothouse to be constructed separately and later placed atop the completed hull and main deck. Metal Shark Boats is currently constructing five of their six contracted Citywide Ferries, with material on-site for the sixth vessel. The vessels that have made it the furthest in the construction process can be spotted in Metal Shark Boats’ video below!
Vessel #1
During our last update, this vessel had completed its metal fabrication and structure work, and had begun its piping and mechanic system installations. Today, the piping and mechanic systems have reached 95% completion each, and the vessels outfitting is at 60% .
Vessel #2
In December, the second vessel at Metal Shark Boats had finished with 95% metal fabrication, 70% of its railing installation and the shaft/strud installation had just begun. This vessel “looks more like a ferry,” much like vessel number one at this point of construction. Today, this vessel has completed its welding, its piping system has reached 85% completion, the mechanic system has reached 98% and the outfitting is half way completed.
Vessel #3 & #4
Flipped over right before Thanksgiving 2016 to begin receiving their superstructures before the winter holidays, these two vessels are now at a stage where they “look like ferries,” as their superstructures have been fully completed. So far in 2017, the main work done on these vessels have been the welding, which has reached 80% completion on vessel #3 and 70% on vessel #4, and the piping systems that have reached 65% on both vessels. The next steps will be to complete the mechanic systems (45%) and outfitting (10%).
Vessel #5
This vessel is the newest addition to the fleet of ferries, with its hull construction being a rough month into construction. The next step for this vessel will be to have the hull flipped once the hulls are completed in the next few months.
Our Special Projects Coordinator, Sarah McDonald, inspecting one of the vessels
