“This new ferry will help us further carry out our mission of connecting people and places,” Conti said. “It will be an impressive addition to the Ferry Division’s fleet and will be an ambassador for the great state of North Carolina.”
The 220-foot long vessel will carry 50 vehicles and 300 passengers on the Pamlico Sound routes from Cedar Island to Ocracoke and Swan Quarter to Ocracoke.
The $14.9 million contract was awarded in October 2010 to Orange Shipbuilding of Orange, Texas. The ferry was delivered to the shipyard in Manns Harbor in late April 2012.
The new vessel meets the Americans With Disabilities Act by featuring an ADA-compliant elevator, which has a 13 person capacity; moves 25 percent faster than existing Sound Class boats; meets Environmental Protection Agency standards for diesel emissions; and is the second of two sister ships that joins the division’s existing five Sound Class ferries. It will continue the tradition of ferries being affiliated with state universities, showing the Western Carolina University colors and logo.
During the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter routes carried more than 91,000 vehicles and 217,000 passengers between Ocracoke. The new vessel will go into service as soon as the crew receives the proper training.