Swedish batteries for San Francisco ferries

San Francisco Bay Ferry has chosen Echandia, a Swedish provider of maritime battery systems, to supply its new fleet of electric ferries, said to be the first zero-emission high-speed ferries in the USA.

“This is a milestone achievement for our expansion into the North American market,” said Fredrik Hellström, CEO of Echandia.

“This is so far probably the most prestigious maritime electrification project in the world to be a part of, and I think many others will look at this project as a benchmark moving forward,” Hellström continued. “This really is a testament to the quality and safety of our battery systems.”

The fleet is being introduced as part of San Francisco Bay Ferry’s new Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program. The first phase of this project includes the deployment of three 150-passenger battery electric ferries to operate on a network connecting emerging waterfront neighbourhoods in San Francisco and two 400-passenger battery electric ferries serving current SF Bay Ferry routes in Oakland and Alameda.

The first REEF vessel is expected to enter service in 2026, with the initial battery systems scheduled for delivery in Q2 2025.

SF Bay Ferry and its REEF integration team are also working on designs for a new electric charging float for the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal. Battery banks will provide energy storage for the float to allow for rapid charging during dwell times at the terminal.

In July, Echandia announced the opening of a production facility in Marysville, WA. This facility has been set up to ensure that the San Francisco Bay’s new zero-emission vessels are powered with American-made batteries and FTA compliant. This means that Echandia’s battery systems will meet Buy America provisions, which require a certain percentage of a product’s components to be manufactured in the United States.

“We’re proud to be working with Echandia to advance the nation’s first high-speed, high-capacity battery electric ferries in the United States,” said Seamus Murphy, Executive Director of San Francisco Bay Ferry.

“Among the many benefits of our program will be the creation of new jobs and the expansion of the US zero-emission maritime industry. By opening this new facility, Echandia is helping us realise those benefits.”

Echandia has now delivered nearly 70 systems for electrification projects globally.

Image credit: iStock.com/Wirestock