First Hydrogen-Fueled Vessel in the US Receives US Coast Guard Approval to Enter Commercial Service
21 Mayo 2024 - 8:21AM
Business Wire
SWITCH Maritime, a leading developer of zero-emission maritime
vessels, was presented with the signed Certificate of Inspection
(“COI”) by Captain Taylor Q. Lam, the US Coast Guard Sector San
Francisco commander and Captain of the Port, for its flagship
hydrogen ferry, the Sea Change. The ceremony took place last Friday
afternoon onboard the bow of the vessel, along with several members
of the US Coast Guard and other project stakeholders.
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Captain Taylor Q. Lam presents Pace
Ralli, CEO of SWITCH Maritime, with signed Certificate of
Inspection (Photo: Business Wire)
“This COI represents the culmination of years of close
collaboration with the US Coast Guard and a significant milestone
for the maritime industry, demonstrating the viability of
carbon-neutral vessels. We are immensely grateful for the support
from the US Coast Guard and all our partners along the path to
completion,” said Pace Ralli, CEO of SWITCH. “This is not the
finish line, but just a starting point from which to build many
more.”
With the COI, the vessel is now able to commence commercial
operation for zero-emission public ferry service. The Sea Change
uses hydrogen fuel cells to power all-electric motors for transit
distances up to 300 nautical miles and speeds up to 15 knots. The
rapidly-evolving technology provides similar operational
capabilities and ranges to diesel-powered vessels, and eliminates
the need for shoreside charging infrastructure required by
battery-only vessels.
Following a formal launch event in June, the Sea Change will be
operated in a six-month pilot service by the San Francisco Bay Area
Water Emergency Transportation Authority (“WETA”), thanks to a
public-private sponsorship that includes: Chevron Corporation;
United; the Golden State Warriors; California Air Resources Board;
Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District; and Blue
& Gold Fleet. After the initial demonstration period, SWITCH
will put the vessel into a more permanent ferry route. Alongside
the Sea Change, SWITCH is actively advancing new designs for larger
and faster ferries for SF Bay, and other major ferry markets in the
US and internationally.
SWITCH aims to accelerate the adoption of net-zero vessels by
bearing the regulatory and construction risks for the operators,
and offering existing operators the ability to lease the new
vessels after completion – a form of the ‘hardware-as-a-service’
model increasingly being utilized to accelerate the energy
transition of hard to abate industrial sectors. The SWITCH
solutions are flexible and tailored for vessel operators needing to
comply with emissions regulations, providing a streamlined path to
achieving a carbon-neutral fleet over time.
About the Sea Change project
Built and launched at All American Marine shipyard in
Bellingham, Washington, the Sea Change is a 75-passenger catamaran
ferry featuring an integrated hydrogen power system from Zero
Emission Industries (https://www.zeroei.com/), with 360kW of fuel
cells from Cummins and 600kW of electric motor propulsion from BAE
Systems.
The project is also partially funded by a $3 million grant from
the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”), administered by the
Bay Area Air Quality Management District (”BAAQMD”), that comes
from the California Climate Investments initiative, a California
statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to
work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy,
and improving public health and the environment—particularly in
disadvantaged communities.
Additionally, the project received the first-ever loan guarantee
under BAAQMD’s Climate Tech Finance program, which seeks to reduce
greenhouse gases by accelerating emerging climate technologies, in
partnership with the California Infrastructure Economic Development
Bank and the Northern California Financial Development Corporation
(“NorCal FDC”). With this loan guarantee, SWITCH secured a $5
million commercial financing from KeyBank, and later raised equity
funds from Nexus Development Capital to bring this important
project to completion.
--- SWITCH Maritime --- SWITCH develops, finances, builds
and leases zero-emission maritime vessels to existing operators in
the US and internationally. More information can be found at
https://www.switchmaritime.com/.
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