Delphinus
The San Francisco Bay Ferry service has added a second Dorado-class ferry to the fleet that has the speed, size and capacity to operate on all of its routes.
The 129-by-34.5-foot Delphinus entered service in March 2024 following delivery from Mavrik Marine, based in La Conner, Wash. One2Three Naval Architects designed the sleek, low-profile ferry, which is owned by the Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) and operated by Blue & Gold Fleet.
The 320-passenger Delphinus is powered by two 2,575-hp MTU main engines driving HamiltonJet waterjets through ZF gears. Electrical power comes from two 99-kW John Deere generators. Humphree interceptors installed at the transom improve efficiency and passenger comfort.
“It pretty much has become the workhorse of the fleet,” Hanners said of Delphinus. “And it can go 36 knots, so it can serve on all our routes with that speed and it can dock in all our terminals.”
One2Three Naval Architects of Sydney, Australia, adapted the design for the Dorado-class ferries from an existing series built for Red Jet Ferry to connect Southampton, England, and the Isle of Wight, on the north side of the English Channel. Given the successes WETA has had with its Dorado-class ferries, Hanners expects to see more of the company’s designs in the United States.
Speaking of Dorado in 2022, Steve Quigley, managing director of One2three Naval Architects, said the vessel’s overall good looks and clean lines are not just there for aesthetic purposes. Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic efficiency built into the design reduce fuel consumption by up to 40 percent compared to a similarly sized ferry.
“The external aesthetic is low-profile, pleasant and minimal impact (while) being timeless, elegant and stylish,” he said of Dorado, adding that the fuel efficiency is a “game changer” for reducing emissions and the overall cost of operating a public transportation service.
WETA is taking advantage of that efficiency by placing the ferry on its longest run, from San Francisco to Vallejo, which takes about an hour and covers nearly 40 miles end to end. Much of that efficiency comes while operating at cruising speeds approaching 35 knots.
“We prefer to put it into Vallejo service now because of the lower operating costs and fuel burn, and it can hold 320 passengers, so it serves most of those commute-heavy routes,” Hanners said. “And since it is so versatile, we can use it as a spare to run on any route. Our operations managers can move it around as they need.”
WETA’s ferry service was growing steadily in the years leading to the pandemic, with more than 3 million total riders in 2019. Ridership fell sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath as people’s commuting habits changed. Since mid-2021, ridership has bounced back to about 2.3 million riders and counting.
A comfortable ride on reliable ferry service is helping bring riders back. Delphinus’ passenger spaces are located across two decks with a mix of indoor and outdoor seating. The main deck features airline-style seats, tables and a snack bar with plenty of outlets for phone and laptop charging. The second deck is partially covered close to the wheelhouse and open further aft, offering phenomenal views on sunny days.
Delphinus typically operates with four crewmembers. The captain operates the vessel from a modern wheelhouse with a U-shaped dash equipped with touchscreen displays showing and chartplotter alongside a Furuno navigation suite. Icom supplied the VHF radios. Helm stations also are located on the port and starboard side of the wheelhouse for close-quarters maneuvers.
Although Dorado and Delphinus are sister vessels, WETA made a series of modifications based on passenger feedback. “Vinyl siding has been added to a portion of the second deck to provide additional shelter, and heaters will be installed in that section soon,” WETA said in a news release. “Improved bike racks are being fabricated and will be installed on MV Delphinus and MV Dorado soon.”
The San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet is one of the fastest growing and also the cleanest operating in the United States. With the arrival of Pyxis in 2019, the service operated the first-ever ferry in the United States that met EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. Since then, it has added eight more Tier 4-rated ferries and retrofitted four 15-year-old ferries with Tier 4 engines to reduce diesel emissions by up to 80 percent, the agency said.
Two more Dorado-class ferries are on the way, with delivery expected in early 2025 and 2026, respectively. Those vessels will be outfitted with four 1,370-hp MAN engines to meet California Air Resources Board requirements that exceed EPA Tier 4 rules. The MAN engines will be paired with HamiltonJet drives.
Those two ferries likely will be the last WETA ever builds that run primarily on diesel power. WETA has partnered with Wartsila for the design and integration of an all-electric propulsion package that will feature lithium-ion batteries and electric motors. The first electric vessel could be in service by the end of 2026.
Although it will take time, WETA plans to build out robust infrastructure to support electric vessels, including shoreside charging and a dockside battery storage system that can supply power to the ferries between stops. “We are building a system, not a one-off boat,” Hanners said. “We are trying to make it all work from dock to vessel.”
WETA also is exploring other alternate fuels, such as hydrogen fuel cells. In July, the service placed Sea Change, the first U.S. ferry powered by hydrogen fuel cells, into service on six-month trial.
Bailey Shewchuk, the president and CEO of Mavrik Marine, said the yard is pleased with the quality and workmanship on the two completed ferries and the other two under construction. “The entire team at Mavrik Marine Inc. is extremely proud of the two Dorado-class ferries we have delivered to WETA, and the excitement is growing day by day as we see the next two Dorado vessels take shape in our sheds.”
Taken together, WETA got what it wanted in the Dorado-class ferries in terms of speed, reliability and versatility. Substantially lower fuel consumption is another benefit on the longer runs across the Bay.
“It is a good chess piece to have,” Hanners said. •