Delaware River and Bay Authority officials announced Dec. 2 that the addition of a new diesel-hybrid vessel is one step closer to joining the Cape May – Lewes Ferry fleet.
The DRBA Commission unanimously voted to award a contract for the construction and outfitting of a new 75-car passenger/vehicle ferry to SENESCO Marine of North Kingstown, R.I. The project low bid was $78.6 million.
The ferry will eventually replace the MV Cape Henlopen, a more-than 40-year-old diesel engine ferry that serves passengers who travel between Lewes, Del., and Cape May.
Construction on the new vessel is slated to start early next year with a projected completion date of summer 2029.
The project’s price tag of $78.6 million is partially funded with a $20 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant award. The board action to award the contract, which is subject to the New Jersey and Delaware Governors’ 10-day review and consent period, took place at the bi-state agency’s monthly meeting on Nov. 18.
Delaware River and Bay Authority Executive Director Joel Coppadge realizes the historical significance of the Cape May – Lewes Ferry and its importance to the resort communities on both sides of the Delaware Bay.
“For sustainable ferry operations in the future, it’s imperative we make this necessary capital investment today,” he said. “The ferry’s a critical piece of regional infrastructure and we’re proud of the ferry’s heritage and link between two historic destinations. The new hybrid ferry is the start of the next chapter in the proud history of the Cape May – Lewes Ferry.”
The benefits of this new eco-friendly vessel include lower operating and maintenance costs, decreased emissions at sea and zero emissions while near port and docked. The new engines will also reduce fuel consumption by an estimated 35%.
Heath Gehrke, director of ferry operations said, “The Cape May – Lewes Ferry is a vital transportation link and an economic catalyst for the southern regions of Delaware and New Jersey. Hundreds of thousands of people rely on our year-round service to get them safely across to work, visit loved ones, get to that vacation destination or to avoid the hassle of highway congestion. By moving forward with our vessel modernization effort, we’re ensuring that future generations will continue to enjoy a break from the ordinary aboard the Cape May – Lewes Ferry.”
The project’s price tag of $78.6 million is partially funded with a $20 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant award. The board action to award the contract, which is subject to the New Jersey and Delaware Governors’ ten-day review and consent period, took place at the bi-state agency’s monthly meeting on Nov. 18.
The DRBA, a bi-state governmental agency created by Compact in 1962, owns and operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May – Lewes Ferry, and the Forts Ferry Crossing. The DRBA also manages two airports in New Jersey (Millville Executive Airport and Cape May Airport) and three in Delaware (Wilmington Airport, Civil Air Terminal and Delaware Airpark). All DRBA operating revenues are generated through the bridge, ferry and airport facilities.
Owned and operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the Cape May – Lewes Ferry is open year-round and has carried more than 50 million passengers since its inception on July 1, 1964. Its operations sustain over 4,000 jobs while generating tens of millions of dollars in local taxes and hundreds of millions in regional economic activity.
Senesco Marine was founded by a group of entrepreneurs who joined together in 1999 with the goal to create more jobs for Rhode Islanders. Senesco Marine started out building small deck barges and eventually moved into building larger vessels. Since then, Senesco Marine has entered the competitive tug and ferry building market.
