Rhode Island Christens new Catamaran Ferry

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) christened the new high-speed catamaran ãOcean Stateä that will start operating between Providence and Newport on July 4th. Officials said the new catamaran will reduce the ferry trip from 70 to 45 minutes.

 

ãThe new boat provides faster and more comfortable service than we were able to offer previously. Itâs a great travel option and itâs going into service at just the right time, when our roads are most heavily congested with summer traffic. ä said RIPTA Acting General Manager Alfred J. Moscola. 

 

The new vessel, Ocean State, was designed in Australia by Crowther Design and built at Merrifield-Robert, Inc. in Bristol, Rhode Island. The 21 metre vessel has a top speed of 34 knots and accommodates 146 passengers and three crew members. 

 

RIPTAâs ferry will be operated by New England Fast Ferry LLC. New England Fast Ferry is an affiliate of Bay State Cruise Company in Boston, Massachusetts, an operator with over three decades of experience in conducting ferry service.

 

Funded by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration in conjunction with the Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Program and the RI Department of Transportation, RIPTAâs Providence/Newport water ferry service is a demonstration project designed to help reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.

 

For further information contact: