San Francisco Bay Ferry and a group of private and public sector partners launched the MV Sea Change, the world’s first commercial passenger ferry powered 100% by zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells. The vessel will begin service to the public on July 19, offering free transportation between Pier 41 and the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal.
The Sea Change represents an enormous milestone toward efforts to decarbonize the maritime industry. It will operate as a part of the San Francisco Bay Ferry network for a six-month demonstration period designed to showcase the application of fuel cell technology as a viable strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. The vessel emits only water vapor, a portion of which is remineralized and used in the onboard water fountain, making it the only vessel in the world with drinkable emissions.
The vessel is owned by SWITCH Maritime, and was developed by the company with support from a grant provided by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The demonstration service is made possible thanks to sponsorships from a group of partners including Chevron New Energies; the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District; and United Airlines. The service will be operated by San Francisco Bay Ferry’s contract operator, Blue & Gold Fleet.
“California is a global leader in the fight against the climate crisis, pioneering new technologies to ramp up clean energy and cut pollution — that’s why the zero-emission Sea Change is so exciting,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “I’m proud of our state’s role in advancing these innovations, and of our state’s public and private sector partners for bringing them to market and demonstrating their viability.”
“The Sea Change is a real-world, practical example of how the government and private sector can work together to help demonstrate the commercial viability and increase consumer confidence in hydrogen,” said Austin Knight, vice president, Hydrogen Power, Chevron New Energies. “Hydrogen power can play a key role in achieving a lower carbon future for public transportation. At Chevron we are focused on building partnerships to develop a large-scale hydrogen business to help advance energy progress.”
According to the Congressional Budget Office, transportation is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States. Advances in hydrogen fuel cell technology and other lower carbon or net neutral technologies come at an important time as 2024 is projected to be one of the hottest years on record.
The Sea Change is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
The Sea Change was developed in California and built by All American Marine in Bellingham, WA. “We’re very proud that this state-of-the-art vessel was built in Washington, and we are thrilled that it will be put into operation in the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Washington Governor Jay Inslee. “The Sea Change is a great example of Washington and California collaborating toward our shared goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a more sustainable future. I look forward to taking a ride next time I’m in San Francisco.”
“Providing access to this world-first technology for the thousands of future Sea Changepassengers is a key step toward protecting the environment,” said Jim Wunderman, Chair of the San Francisco Bay Ferry Board of Directors. “We have worked hard alongside our partners to make this groundbreaking ferry a reality, but it will be the passengers who bring it to life.”
“As a long-time advocate of Bay Area transit innovation and a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, I am thrilled to support the launch of the world’s first commercial hydrogen fuel passenger ferry. The Sea Change will be a national model and represents a bold milestone in the future of clean energy transportation and infrastructure,” said U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin, CA-15.
“The launch of the one-of-a-kind MV Sea Change represents a historic investment in the future of clean energy transportation and infrastructure in the United States,” said U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman, CA-2. “It should come as no surprise to see the Bay Area ferry service on the forefront of green transit innovation.“
“The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is excited to witness the clean transportation future in action with the launch of the MV Sea Change and is proud to be part of the partnership that made this vessel a reality. Thanks to cap-and-trade dollars at work through our California Climate Investments, innovative and sustainable transportation options like the Sea Change are being developed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health, particularly in California’s most vulnerable communities,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph.
“We are thrilled to partner with San Francisco Bay Ferry and others to bring the first hydrogen passenger ferry to the Bay Area,” said Denis Mulligan, General Manager of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. “This demonstration project provides an exciting glimpse into the clean and bright future of Bay Area water transportation.”
“The Sea Change represents an exciting transition to carbon-neutral fuel sources, charting a new course toward a cleaner future,” said Patrick Murphy, President of Blue & Gold Fleet.
“This is not just the start of service for the Sea Change, but hopefully also the start of much more active investment in the energy transition of the maritime industry in California and beyond,” said Pace Ralli, CEO of SWITCH Maritime.
MV Sea Change is a 70-foot, 75-passenger catamaran ferry featuring an integrated hydrogen power system from Zero Emission Industries (ZEI) with 360kW of PEM fuel cells,100kWh of Li-Ion battery storage, and 600kW of electric motor propulsion, providing a top speed of 15 knots and service speed of 8-12 knots.
