(BELLINGHAM, Wash.) — All American Marine (AAM) has received an order from Harbor Breeze Cruises to design and construct a 108-by-32.5-foot hybrid passenger vessel for deployment in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif. This innovative vessel will be used for harbor tours, whale watch cruises and dinner events. Developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design, it will exceed EPA Tier 4 and California Air Resources Board (CARB) air quality requirements.
The vessel will feature a propulsion system using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF) coupled to a parallel hybrid battery propulsion system supplied by ABB Inc. The system will have twin 250-kW traction motors and a 588-kW BorgWarner energy storage system (ESS), allowing Harbor Breeze Cruises to operate emission-free tours.
This new demonstration project will highlight the latest technological and commercially available systems in the maritime industry. It exceeds the most rigorous emissions guidelines in North America, including the most recent CARB harbor craft rules. The vessel is part of the Los Angeles Marine Emission Reduction (LA MER) project that received a $15 million grant from CARB’s Advanced Technology Demonstration and Pilot Project program.
The newbuild will set a benchmark in maritime innovation, being the first multi-purpose monohull operating as a U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter K passenger vessel with systems and equipment installed to meet Coast Guard requirements to operate on a “limited coastwise” route, in a parallel hybrid configuration with advanced data collection capabilities.
The vessel will feature multiple decks, a customized stadium seating platform on the bow, a 350-passenger capacity, and enhancements that prioritize the passenger experience throughout. All American built and delivered two previous vessels for Harbor Breeze Cruises, Triumphant and La Espada. Studio Sculli is the Italian design house responsible for the unique styling of this next-gen vessel.
“We are beyond excited to design and build this vessel. It’s going to be the first of its kind in the passenger vessel industry,” said Dan Salas, owner and operator of Harbor Breeze Cruises. “All American Marine has built two other very successful vessels for our operation and we can’t wait to see our vision come to life again, working with AAM and Teknicraft. It’s sure to set the standard for passenger vessels, not only in design and build but in its innovative propulsion systems, paving the way forward to a cleaner future.”
The vessel will be designed with twin MAN D2862 EPA Tier 4 engines supplied by Northern Lights. The engines will drive fixed-pitch propellers via a remote-mounted Reinjtes gearbox provided by Karl Senner Inc. This system will also be fit with twin 250-kW electric drive motors powered by the ESS, which will provide an all-electric, zero-emissions mode.
The vessel will offer four unique operational modes for flexibility on the water and at port: diesel-powered propulsion, fully electric emissions-free propulsion, underway battery charging, and stationary battery charging. The selective catalytic reduction and MAN class-approved DPF will achieve further reductions in exhaust emissions if engine use is required on longer routes. These technologies will enable the vessel to exceed stringent California emission standards while maintaining performance and fuel efficiency.
“All American Marine and Teknicraft Design are looking forward to working on this groundbreaking passenger vessel,” said Ron Wille, president of All American Marine. “It is a first of its kind in the United States. This unique propulsion package will be novel for not only Harbor Breeze but also the maritime industry, offering both low- or zero-emissions operations and providing a wide range of possibilities for Harbor Breeze Cruises.”
– All American Marine
