Rendering of electric ferry vessel, source: SF Bay Ferry
Water transit plays a critical role for many in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the ferry system is getting a major funding boost to support zero-emission service and a service network build-out.
$11.5 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration for two electric ferries
In September, SF Bay Ferry received an $11.5 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to advance Phase 1 of their Rapid Electric Emission-Free Ferry Program to build two new electric ferries to support the agency's emission-free ferry service between downtown San Francisco, Treasure Island, and Mission Bay.
The Rapid Electric Emission-Free Ferry Program, or REEF, is a suite of projects to transition the SF Bay Ferry fleet to zero-emission propulsion technology, including electrifying ferry floats and developing the nation’s first high-speed, high-capacity zero-emission vessels.
The $11.5 million grant will support the procurement of a class of three 150-passenger battery-electric vessels serving Treasure Island, Mission Bay, Downtown San Francisco, and additional emerging communities on the San Francisco waterfront.
$55.4 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for high-speed zero-emission ferry network build-out
On November 1, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded the Port of San Francisco and San Francisco Bay Ferry a $55.4 million grant to complete the nation’s first ever high-speed zero-emission ferry network connecting transportation hubs. This grant fully funds the charging infrastructure at the San Francisco Ferry Building, a new ferry landing at Mission Bay, and a 400-passenger electric ferry vessel. The grant also includes funding for the Working Waterfront Coalition to train Bay Area residents from primarily disadvantaged communities in marine trades and water transportation jobs working on zero and low-emission vessels.
The funding will help build out a zero-emission network that connects the communities served by SF Bay Ferry, including Oakland, Richmond, Vallejo, and Alameda with financial and biotech employment centers. These projects under SF Bay Ferry’s REEF Program will accelerate a new standard for clean ferries nationwide and serve as a training platform for the Bay Area’s maritime workforce development program.
With these grants, SF Bay Ferry has now secured over $220 million in funding from local, state, and federal agencies to implement the REEF Program. This includes state and federal funding for system planning, new battery-electric vessels, and shoreside infrastructure.
Transportation Authority Board supports Treasure Island Ferry
In May, the Transportation Authority Board approved up to $1.68 million in State Transit Assistance County Block Grant funds as ‘seed funding’ toward the first year of operations for the San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Treasure Island electric ferry service between Treasure Island and the Ferry Building. That service is scheduled to commence in 2026 and will succeed the current Treasure Island ferry operated by Treasure Island Community Development.