1. FERRY TRANSPORT COMMITTEE
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD
Mid-Year Conference and Meeting
April 14-15, 2012
Session # 1 - DESIGN OF VESSELS, TERMINALS, AND DOCKINGS - COMPLICATED SUBJECT
ECONOMICS OF THE PROJECT -IF WE ARE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, PEOPLE INVEST TO MAKE MONEY –
VERY SIMPLE CONCEPT. THE PROJECT MUST HAVE A ROI. IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THERE MUST BE
ECONOMIC BENEFIT IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC – GOOD TRANSIT, DEVELOPMENT OF AREAS UNDER-
SERVED BY TRANSIT, INCREASED CAPACITY AND OPTIONS, REDUCED EMISSIONS – GENERALLY ENHANCE
LIVABILITY OF A PARTICULAR AREA TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH.
IN NYC WE HAVE GROWING POPULATION, WE HAVE A MATURE TRANSIT SYSTEM AND A MATURE
ROADWAY AND ARTERIAL SYSTEM – FERRIES ARE A VIABLE OPTION TO ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THE ABOVE
AND CAN PROVIDE ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS.
VESSEL DESIGN - HAS TO INCORPORATE A VARIETY OF CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS
CAPACITY AND OVERALL SUITABILITY FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE, STABILITY, SAFETY,
EFFICIENCY (ROUTE MILE, PER PASSENGER AND LIFE CYCLE COSTS, ETC.), PASSENGER COMFORT,
ACCESSIBILITY AND IT MUST BE GREEN (PVA GREEN WATERS, IMO GREEN PASSPORT, ABS
ENVIRO, DNV TRIPLE E, AND SO ON).
UNLIKE OTHER MODES OF TRANSIT, VESSEL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION HAS NOT YET
REACHED THE ASSEMBLY LINE MODEL WE SEE WITH TRUCKS, RAIL CARS AND EVEN AIRCRAFT.
INSTEAD IT IS STILL VERY MUCH A “ONE-OFF” PROCESS IN WHICH AN OWNER ORDERS A VESSEL
OR VESSELS TO MEET HIS OR HER PARTICULAR NEED AND OFF WE GO. UNLESS THE VESSEL IS
BUNDLED AS PART OF A SHIPYARD OFFERING, WE START THE DESIGN PROCESS FROM SCRATCH
AND WE LITERALLY RE-INVENT THE WHEEL EACH AND EVERY TIME AT GREAT EXPENSE.
(I) PROPULSION SELECTION AND SYSTEMS INTERGRATION – THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM
CURRENTLY AND RUNS THE FULL SPECTRUM FROM VLCCs TO WATER TAXIS. WE ARE
ALSO AT A POINT WHERE VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES ARE WORTH CONSIDERING SUCH
AS: HYBRID, FUEL CELL, DUAL FUEL, LNG…THE DECISIONS RELATED TO POWER PLANT
SELECTION ARE SIGNIFICANT AND CAN MAKE OR BREAK A PROJECT AND HOW THE
ADVANCED ON-BOARD SYSTEMS ARE INTEGRATED CAN PRESENT A HOST OF RELATED
PROBLEMS AS WELL.

2. (II) HULL FORM IS ANOTHER CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT – ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE AT
A POINT WHERE HULL DESIGN IS BEING FUNDEMENTALLY RETHOUGHT – WE HAVE
EVERYTHING FROM WIDE-BODY SHALLOW DRAFT TANKERS TO LOW WAKE, HIGBH
SPEED CATAMARAN FERRIES AND X-BOW SUPER-SUPPLY BOATS. ONCE AGAIN, A LOT
OF COMPLEX DECISIONS FOR THE VESSEL OWNER.
(III) ON-BOARD SAFETY, SECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE, ACCESSIBILITY, AMENITIES,
CONCESSIONS, COMFORT AND THE LIKE PRESENT A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES. BOTTOM
LINE – VESSEL DESIGN IS A COMPLEX ISSUE.
TERMINAL DESIGN – ONCE AGAIN A COMPLEX ISSUETHAT BEGINS WITH SELECTING:
(I) A LOCATION THAT HAS TO MEET A VARIETY OF CRITERIA INCLUDING PROXIMITY
TO THE CONSUMER (WHICH IS THE SAME FOR CONTAINER SHIPS, TANKERS AND
FERRIES); WATER DEPTH, TIDES AND CURRENTS, PREVAILING WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND UPLAND CONFIGURATION, INCLUDING TRANSIT
CONNECTIVITY, PARKING AVAILABILITY, ETC.;
(II) THE TECHNICAL DESIGN –DISPLACEMENT OF VESSELS ANTICIPATED, FLOATING
OR FIXED, AT SHORELINE OR AT BULKHEAD LINE DEPENDING ON WATER DEPTH
OR WHETHER TERMINAL IS IN PROTECTED WATERS OR AN OPEN ROADSTEAD,
NUMBER OF BERTHS AND HOW THEY ARE CONFIGURED, MATERIALS WITH
WHICH TO CONSTRUCT, TYPE OF FENDERING SYSTEM, SECURITY,
INFRASTRUCTURE, SERVICES TO BE AVAILABLE THE TERMINAL, AND SO FORTH.
(III) AMENITIES FOR CLIENTEL – SEATING, SHELTER, HVAC, RESTROOMS,
CONCESSIONS, WI-FI, ENTERTAINMENT AND ANCILLARY SERVICES LIKE DRUG
STORE, DRY CLEANERS, ETC.
DOCKING DESIGN WILL BE DRIVEN PRIMARILY BY A LOT OF THE ABOVE. VESSEL DESIGN,
MANUVERABILITY, DISPLACEMENT, CAPACITY, ANTICIPATED TURN AROUND TIME AND THE
CONFIGURATION OF THE TERMINAL RELATIVE TO PREVAILING TIDES, CURRENT AND WEATHER
CONDITIONS.
NOW WITH THAT OPENING, WE CAN MOVE ON TO OUR PANEL.