SWITCH’s 150-passenger hydrogen ferry advances towards New York deployment

SWITCH Maritime and Incat Crowther have secured a Design Basis Agreement (DBA) with the United States Coast Guard for their SWITCH-150 hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry platform, establishing the regulatory framework for further development.

Announced on 4 November 2026, the agreement advances a proposed New York City deployment based at Brooklyn Navy Yard. It is a design-stage milestone, rather than clearance to begin commercial passenger operations.

What performance is the ferry designed to deliver?

The 28-metre vessel is designed to carry 150 passengers at a cruising speed of 25 knots. Its planned compressed-hydrogen storage capacity of 720 kilograms is intended to support a full day of operations on a range of New York routes.

The developers envisage daily refuelling using mobile hydrogen equipment, avoiding charging-related layovers. These remain design objectives, rather than demonstrated operating results.

Incat Crowther Technical Manager Dan Mace said the next step would be detailed development and preparation of a complete digital shipbuilding package. SWITCH’s Newbuild Programme Director Francisco Planells said the agreement provides a framework for construction, commissioning and eventual operation.

How is New York supporting the project?

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded SWITCH US$2 million to develop and demonstrate the hydrogen ferry. The funding was announced in August 2025 as part of more than US$11 million allocated to clean-hydrogen research and development projects.

SWITCH Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Pace Ralli said the support would help demonstrate a 150-passenger vessel capable of replacing diesel ferries without compromising operational performance.

The ferry award sits within a wider state programme covering hydrogen production, storage, distribution and end-use applications. NYSERDA identifies the Brooklyn project as a zero-emissions ferry demonstration.

What precedent does Sea Change provide?

SWITCH already has operating experience through Sea Change, its 75-passenger hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry. The vessel entered passenger service in San Francisco Bay in July 2024 after obtaining a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection.

According to SWITCH, Sea Change has a service speed of 12 knots, a stated range of 300 nautical miles and compressed-hydrogen storage. Its operating experience provides a reference for the company’s subsequent vessel platforms.

San Francisco Bay Ferry announced the start of public services for 19 July 2024. The project brought together public agencies and private-sector partners to demonstrate hydrogen propulsion in passenger transport.

The earlier vessel establishes a distinction between agreeing a design framework and securing permission to operate commercially. SWITCH-150 has reached the former stage, while Sea Change progressed through inspection and into passenger service.

How are international hydrogen safety rules developing?

The regulatory environment for hydrogen-powered shipping is also evolving. At its 111th session, held from 13 to 22 May 2026, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee approved interim guidelines for ships using hydrogen as fuel.

The IMO lists these as circular MSC.1/Circ.1701. Their approval forms part of its work to establish safety provisions for vessels using alternative fuels and new technologies.

Hydrogen ferry development also builds on earlier publicly supported research. The United States Maritime Administration funded a feasibility study in 2015 examining a high-powered hydrogen fuel cell ferry and associated refuelling capability in San Francisco Bay.

That research history, followed by Sea Change’s commercial demonstration and the SWITCH-150 design agreement, shows the progression from feasibility assessment to operating experience and larger passenger-vessel concepts. The New York project’s next substantive step remains completion of the detailed design needed for construction.