Senator Collins Announces $3.6 Million to Support Casco Bay Lines’ Second Hybrid Ferry
The new vessel will be quieter and reduce carbon emissions by 1,000 metric tons annually
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Ranking Member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the Casco Bay Island Transit District (CBITD) has been awarded $3,600,000. The funding will be used to procure a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system for a new environmentally friendly vessel to replace the Maquoit II, which is nearly 30 years old and at the end of its useful life. CBITD estimates the new vessel will reduce carbon emissions by 1,000 metric tons annually.
This grant, which was awarded through the Federal Transit Administration’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program, builds on the funding Senator Collins previously secured for modernizing the fleet. In 2018, Senator Collins helped CBITD obtain a $6 million grant from FTA’s Passenger Ferry Grant Program for the construction of a replacement vessel for its ferry service to Peaks Island. In July 2020, she announced $3.2 million for CBITD to convert this new ferry’s propulsion system to electric-diesel and $750,000 for research related to the design, construction, and operation of a new hybrid ferry and automated, rapid charging battery system.
“Casco Bay Lines provides an indispensable service to those who live and work in our island communities, providing passenger, freight, and postal services, and transporting students to school and people to their jobs,” said Senator Collins. “This funding will help ensure that Casco Bay Lines continues to provide safe and reliable ferry service while promoting innovation within the transit industry. The hybrid propulsion system will dramatically improve the rider and neighbor experience by eliminating exhaust fumes, excessive engine noise, and vibrations found on existing vessels.”
“CBITD has been working for several years to update our aging fleet. We are thrilled that we will soon have two vessels powered by this innovative diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system. These vessels will be active for the next 30 years, significantly improving the climate future of Casco Bay,” said Hank Berg, General Manager of CBITD. “Ongoing support from Senator Collins has been critical to our success in securing competitive grant funding, and we are extremely grateful.”
As the Ranking Member of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Collins has championed funding to improve Maine’s infrastructure and has worked to support CBITD’s year-round ferry service to six inhabited islands in Casco Bay. In 2020, she announced a total of $4.6 million to support Casco Bay Lines’ operations during the pandemic. In 2019, she announced a $3.4 million grant to support Phase III of Casco Bay Lines’ project to renovate its terminal infrastructure. In 2016, Senator Collins announced a $2.5 million grant to fund Phase II of Casco Bay Lines’ terminal renovation.
CBITD has operated since 1981. In a typical year, CBITD’s five ferries transport more than one million passengers, 30,000 vehicles, and 5,300 tons of freight annually.
The Passenger Ferry Grant Program funds capital projects that help eligible project sponsors support existing passenger ferry service; establish new ferry service; and upgrade ferry boats, terminals, and related facilities and equipment. The grants also help transit agencies and ferry companies offset the considerable cost of introducing new, climate-friendly propulsion technologies.
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