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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Autonomous Electric Ferries (Autoferry) - Low Carbon Connectors - II</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2548807</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Island and peninsula communities in the Puget Sound are often isolated from regional cities like Seattle and Tacoma due to large transit time by road. Regional ferry systems are large and expensive to operate, limiting the number of service times and access points. Most of the ferries only operate between larger regional towns and major cities, isolating smaller communities that often lack bus services as well. Autonomous electric ferries offer a unique low-carbon option to better connect rural communities in the region. In recent years, the Washington state ferry system has struggled with staffing and maintenance of older diesel ferry systems. For example, the residents of Anderson Island and Ketron Island in the south Puget Sound region are served by one ferry that connects them to the mainland. For Ketron Island, the ferry runs only 4 times per day and was out of service completely for several days recently while the ferry was being repaired. This project will focus on addressing key technical objectives with the autonomous ferries, including (1) autonomous docking procedures, (2) optimization of possible routes for weather and tidal events, and (3) building deeper partnerships with commercialization partners. Our methods will include literature review, weather and tidal data collection, design and prototyping, and testing.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2025 15:30:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2548807</guid>
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      <title>Autonomous Electric Ferries (Autoferry) - Low Carbon Connectors - I </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2508973</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Island and peninsula communities in Puget Sound are often isolated from regional cities like Seattle and Tacoma due to an extensive transit time by road. Regional ferry systems are large and expensive to operate, limiting the number of service times and access points. Most of the ferries only operate between larger regional towns and major cities, isolating smaller communities that often lack bus services as well.
Autonomous electric ferries offer a unique low-carbon option to better connect rural communities in the region. For example, the residents of Anderson Island and Ketron Island in the south Puget Sound region are served by one ferry that connects them to the mainland. For Ketron Island, the ferry runs only four times per day and was out of service entirely for several days recently while the ferry was repaired. On the nearby peninsula, the community of Longbranch is accessible by road, but travel requires more than an hour by car for residents to reach services. Several tribal communities are included in these isolated areas.
An autonomous passenger ferry would operate like an elevator, where passengers on one side press a button to summon the ferry. While the ferry is not in use, it charges at the dock in preparation for the call. The ferry could transport passengers and bikes, creating a new alternative to traditional car-centric communities. The Seattle-Tacoma area has 23.8 million passengers on ferries per year, which could be shifted to low-carbon electric ferries over time.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 12 Feb 2025 15:35:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2508973</guid>
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      <title>Quantification and Assessment of Ferry Vessel Emissions</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2236941</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Ferry Division operates 22 ferry vessels on seven routes that serve over 800,000 vehicles and over 1.8 million passengers per year. These vessels range from typically 10 to 50 years of age with typically two large diesel main engines and one diesel auxiliary engine per vessel. Some engines predate U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission standards. Many engines, including those certified to emissions standards based on the date of manufacture, have been in service for many years with accumulated wear and differing service or rebuild history; thus, their in-use emissions may differ from emissions certification values. A limited number of new vessels are entering the fleet to replace older vessels. The Ferry Division periodically seeks grants from federal or state agencies or programs to procure funding for vessel modifications or upgrades. Such applications typically require assessment of the energy and environmental impacts of the proposed project including reduction of air pollutant emissions. The Ferry Division has a long-term goal to move toward green, sustainable technology and operations. A baseline emission inventory is needed to assess for which ferry vessels and routes engine emission-reducing interventions would be the most beneficial. However, there are no empirical data based on representative and actual operations upon which to quantify baseline main and auxiliary engine emission rates for the existing NCDOT ferry fleet.
The objectives of this project are to: (1) establish a methodological framework to measure real-world ferry main and auxiliary engine exhaust concentrations; (2) quantify real-world ferry engine energy use and exhaust emissions; (3) develop a baseline emission inventory for NC ferry vessel engine fleet; and (4) identify and recommend opportunities to reduce emissions. The research will include the following tasks: (1) develop procedures and scheduling for field measurements of vessel engine emissions; (2) instrument preparation and calibration; (3) measurement of real-world engine emissions under actual operations; (4) data quality assurance; (5) develop baseline emission inventory for vessel engine fleet; and (6) assess emission reductions from upgrading or replacing older vessel engines.
This project is highly significant because this will be the first large-scale evaluation and quantification of real-world ferry engine energy use and emissions for the NCDOT ferry fleet. The products of this project will enable the NCDOT Ferry Division to: (1) quantify engine emissions under actual operating conditions for the NCDOT ferry fleet; (2) compare among ferry vessels to identify priorities for interventions to reduce engine energy use and emissions for the highest energy consuming and emitting engines; and (3) quantify the air pollutant emissions reduction potential of upgrading or replacing older vessel engines to demonstrate the benefits of such interventions in applications for federal grants supporting capital acquisition projects, such as for engine or ferry replacement.
This project will set a baseline for possible future work, such as to characterize the emissions benefits of alternative fuels or retrofitted emission control systems. In addition, with the developed ferry engine emission inventory, possible future work can quantify the benefits of reductions in onroad vehicle emissions avoided by ferry vessel service as part of grants for capital acquisition and for strategic planning purposes. Moreover, this work can be used to support public messaging regarding the commitment of the NCDOT Ferry Division to environmental awareness and sustainability, and to raise awareness of various stakeholders regarding the environmental benefits associated with ferry operations.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:09:37 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2236941</guid>
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      <title>Electric Fast Foil Ferry: Re-imagining the Mosquito Fleet for Accelerating Passenger Ferry Innovation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062441</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Kitsap Transit, across the Puget Sound from Seattle, will receive funding to design a model for a high-speed passenger ferry powered by battery-electric, low-emission technology. The state-of-the-art hydrofoil design will rely on lightweight carbon fiber construction and batteries to speed up travel between urban centers and suburban and rural communities and significantly reduce fuel use compared to conventional fast ferries.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2022 16:17:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2062441</guid>
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      <title>Natural Hazards Vulnerability Assessment of the NCDOT Ferry Division Assets</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2003586</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Ferry Division has faced a number of environmental challenges in recent years, including Hurricane Dorian (2019) which caused extensive service disruptions as well as the need to use the ferry system to remove 9,000 truckloads of storm debris (totaling over 6,650 tons) from Ocracoke Island (Virginian-Pilot, 2020). Shoaling caused by inlet processes has also caused delays and interruptions and necessitated frequent dredging along the Hatteras Island to Ocracoke Island route. Additionally, changes in channel depth and orientation have resulted in the Ferry Division having to re-direct ferry routes and implement structural stabilization measures. Storms with extreme rainfall such as hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018) can cause extensive flooding and problems for facilities on the sound side shorelines. Sea level is currently rising and rates of rise are predicted to increase for the foreseeable future [IPCC 2021 projects sea level rise to 2100], which will amplify storm surge and wave impacts. There is a need to evaluate the vulnerability of the system’s facilities across the state, both now and as climate change progresses. This will enable the Division to plan for adaptation projects to ensure that the system operates successfully into the future.

As NCDOT plans for future transportation system resilience, there is a need for statewide assessment of current and future vulnerability of each of the transportation modes. The NCDOT Resilience Strategy Report (2021) describes NCDOT’s short-term strategies for resilience, including “address gaps in resilience planning and standards for ferry.” This is described as “assess ferry channels and conduct vulnerability and criticality assessments to address future impacts.” The proposed research will directly address this specific short-term strategy.
The aims and scope of the study will be (a) to assess the vulnerability of all of the Ferry Division’s infrastructure assets with respect to natural hazards (present and forecast to the 2040 and 2060 planning horizons); (b) to assess the condition of ferry channels at present as well as potential climate impacts (c) to prioritize assets for adaptation measures where needed; and (d) to provide recommendations on potential adaptation options as well as timeframes for implementation and ballpark cost estimates.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA's) Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Framework, 3rd Edition (FHWA-HEP-18-020), will serve to guide the proposed vulnerability assessment of ferry assets. This framework is designed to help transportation agencies and their partners to assess the vulnerability of transportation systems to extreme weather and climate effects. The five steps to conduct a vulnerability assessment include: 1) Set Objectives & Define Scope; 2) Compile Data; 3) Assess
Vulnerability; 4) Analyze Adaptation Options and 5) Incorporate Results Into Decision-Making. These steps correspond to Tasks 3 through 7 in the proposed study. Tasks 1 and 8 are study project management tasks; the Kick-Off Meeting and Final Report and Deliverables, respectively. Task 2 is an expansion of the preliminary literature review that was conducted for the preparation of this proposal.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 05 Aug 2022 08:34:03 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2003586</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Strengthening Access to NC Ferries to Support Coastal Community Resiliency, Health, and Mobility</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1870566</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The North Carolina (NC) Ferry system is a critical form of both essential and recreational transportation for millions of NC residents and visitors from around the world. At the same time, the ferry system faces challenges such as declining ridership, keeping pace with evolving technology, operations affected by extreme weather events, and lack of sustainable funding sources. The ferry system infrastructure in some places is not fully or efficiently utilized. For example, while all ferries allow walk-on passengers, many are oriented to vehicle transport, which does not maximize passenger occupancy. None of the current ferry terminals loffer public transit service and pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is limited in many locations.
Prior studies have examined NC ferry operations and made recommendations regarding the ways in which future passenger ferries can enhance ridership and improve operations, including by building connections to existing shuttle terminals and extending transit services. But these studies have been oriented to tourism and existing business owner interests and do not fully account for the broader community goals related to economic opportunities, health, and transportation access; nor do they account for the unique needs of marginalized populations.
In this project, the project's transdisciplinary team will investigate ways in which innovations related to walking, bicycling, and micromobility, transit operations, and mobility on demand (MOD) services may be employed to support North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)'s work to ensure that transportation projects provide far-reaching and equitable benefits to communities, the economy, and the quality of life and health of North Carolinians. The project team will integrate a broad set of data about community transportation needs and multimodal connectivity options to develop a robust analysis to support short and long-term planning for ferry access and multimodal connectivity. This documentation of literature, stakeholder input, and new analysis will be supportive of decision-making at both the project and policy level regarding ferry integration with multimodal infrastructure and services and identify approaches that could leverage Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds, Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) funds, and other funding sources.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2021 09:56:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1870566</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Passenger Ferry Feasibility Study ‐ Other Routes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1765398</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The North Carolina Ferry Division operates vessels on seven routes along the eastern coast of North Carolina – including a new passenger ferry on the Hatteras-Ocracoke route.  The routes serve diverse populations, ranging from routes with substantial tourist/visitor customers to routes with primarily daily commuters.  The primary objectives of the proposed project are to (1) quantify the benefits and impacts of the new passenger ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke and (2) explore the feasibility of passenger ferry opportunities at other locations (existing or new routes).
This research team is well-equipped to perform the work necessary to deliver an implementable solution for the Ferry Division.  This team includes experts with extensive knowledge of the ferry system with an on-going research project to investigate wait times at ferry terminals and a recent completed project to study the economic impact of each route.  Additionally, this team includes members who investigated the feasibility of the new Hatteras-Ocracoke passenger ferry route in addition to team members who understand connections between the multimodal network of eastern North Carolina.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:51:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1765398</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Quantitative Procedures for Designing and Operating Ferry Transit Services</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1736351</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Ferry transportation services play an important role in many municipal and regional transportation systems throughout the United States and have the potential to play an even greater role.  Ferries serve urban centers, island regions, and rural areas that do not have bridges. They provide transportation for commute trips, recreation, tourism, and freight. Ferries have provided critical transportation in the United States during emergencies including natural disasters, bridge failures, transit strikes, tunnel flooding, and the 9/11 World Trade Center bombing.

The 2018 Bureau of Transportation Statistics National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO) reported service in calendar year 2017 to 126.2 million passengers and 27.0 million vehicles. The ferry census was completed by 181 of the 224 known ferry operators in 38 states and several U.S. possessions. They reported 967 route segments and a combined total of almost 22,000 annual nautical miles. 

Research that pursues data and improves the TCQSM’s framework and procedures for ferries is needed to better serve existing ferry operators as well as communities considering ferries as a potential transit mode.

The objective of this research is to present key quantitative procedures for designing and operating scheduled and fixed-route ferry transit services and facilities that serve passengers-only and passengers and vehicles. The procedures should focus on ferry capacity concepts and analysis methods including but not limited to vessels, docks, routes, terminals, and intermodal connections. The procedures must consider in-water, navigation, and regulatory factors in addition to environmental impacts of ferry services. Development of the procedures should strive to provide comparable detail to the bus, rail, and station chapters of the TCQSM.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2020 17:40:29 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1736351</guid>
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