Balboa Island Ferry, Newport Beach, Calif., has secured funding to electrify its fleet, preserving the future of a ferry service that faced potential closure under California’s zero-emissions mandate for short-run ferries.
The operator has executed contract agreements with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to replace all three of its existing Tier 2 diesel-powered vessels — the Admiral, Captain, and Commodore — with new battery-electric ferries. Shoreside charging infrastructure will also be installed.
The project is funded by CARB’s Sustainable Heavy-Duty Initiatives for Future Technology (SHIFT) program and California Climate Investments, administered by South Coast AQMD. The cost-sharing partnership totals approximately $12 million, with CARB funding roughly 62% of costs, Balboa Island Ferry contributing 36%, and South Coast AQMD contributing 2%…