History meets sustainability: Cape May-Lewes Ferry goes green with $80M eco-friendly vessel

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Since its first voyage in 1964, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry has connected Delaware and New Jersey, providing a faster, scenic journey across the Delaware Bay. Over the past 60 years, it has been a stable provider for travel and tourism. Now, in light of increasing environmental concerns, the ferry is steering towards sustainability with a new eco-friendly fleet, aiming to lessen its ecological footprint while preserving its legacy.

In support of this effort, Delaware’s Congressional Delegation helped secure $20 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help the Delaware River and Bay Authority, which operates the ferry, replace its more than 40-year-old diesel engine ferry.

Heath Gehrke is director of operations at the DRBA and oversees ferry operations. He said the funding will support the $80 million investment needed for the new eco-friendly fleet.

“Anywhere between $72 million and $81 million is the current estimated range of the new vessel. Of course, we just got the $20 million grant,” he said. “The authority has set aside $40 million and has plans to set aside the rest that would be required to construct [the vessel].”

That leaves about $20 million left for DRBA to fully fund the new ferry.

From steam-powered ships to diesel engines, the ferries have continually adapted to changing times. The fleet will eventually shift to fully electric vessels, with the first step being the launch of its first diesel-hybrid ferry.

“With modern technology, we have a way to make it so that it’s hybrid propulsion. So, we’ll still have diesel engines, diesel generators, but it’ll also have a complement of batteries,” Gehrke said. “Eventually the goal will be to have this first boat, and boats that follow be 100% powered by the batteries and thus be emissions-free.”

“The plan will be that the [hybrid] ship will operate on batteries when it’s in port, which the propellers push the ferry into the docks so that it can unload and load. While the ferry is maneuvering, it would be powered by batteries,” he added.

Currently, three motor vessels are in use: the Cape Henlopen, the New Jersey, and the Delaware. The Cape Henlopen is unique for not being repowered, retaining its original power source since inception. Though, it will eventually be replaced by the new fleet once it’s ready to sail.

“The motor vessel Cape Henlopen will be sort of put in a standby status. We have enough berths for four vessels and so, if we had a problem with either one of the other two existing vessels or the new vessel, we could put her into service to fill the demands,” he said.

The new hybrid and all-electric operating modes of the ferry are project to deliver significant environmental benefits, including the following annual reductions, according to the DRBA:

• 2,025 tons reduction in carbon dioxide
• 102.7 tons reduction in nitrogen dioxide
• 1.51 tons reduction in fine particulate matter
• 1.03 tons reduction in hydrocarbons
• 5 tons reduction in carbon monoxide
• 35% reduction in fuel consumption with the new engines

“The existing vessels are getting older so it’s only fitting that the authority begins to plan for the next generation of ferries. We began that planning process in December of 2020, and we finished it basically at the end of 2022,” he explained.

Construction is planned to start in 2025, with completion and readiness to sail by mid-2027.