With Council’s Help, Bay Area Debuts Nation’s First Hydrogen Ferry
The nation’s first commercial zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell ferry arrived in the Bay Area this week, and the Bay Area Council is proud of our role in making it happen. The 75-passenger catamaran called the Sea Change was developed by SWITCH Maritime in collaboration with the state and regional air quality districts and will be operated by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), aka San Francisco Bay Ferry.
The first-of-its-kind vessel will start operating along the San Francisco waterfront this spring. It’s development was made possible in part by contributions from Bay Area Council members, including Chevron, Blue & Gold Fleet, Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, and WETA. Council CEO Jim Wunderman serves as Chair of WETA, and the Council has long been a proponent of WETA’s plans to eventually phase out all its diesel-powered vessels.
To learn more, Council members are invited to join the Bay Area Council Waterfront Mobility Committee on Thursday, March 30 from 1:30-3:00pm to hear an update on this service from WETA Executive Director Seamus Murphy, and also join a discussion with state Assemblymember Lori Wilson on opportunities to further decarbonize the region’s ferry system in the coming years. See details and the link to register here.
