Electric Ferries To Run From Annapolis City Dock To Eastport

Press release from the City of Annapolis:

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 30, 2023) - On January 26, 2023, the City of Annapolis was informed of a grant award from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of $2,975,000 in funding for an electric ferry pilot program that will operate between Eastport and City Dock. The funding supports the acquisition of two battery-powered electric vessels, charging equipment, and improvements to the two docks that will be landing points for the ferries. In all, FTA announced $384.4 million in grants to 23 projects in 11 states.

The grant is one of the funding sources for the City’s “100 Percent Electric Mobility Plan,” passed unanimously by the City Council in April of 2022 to acquire electric transit and necessary infrastructure.

“One of my goals, and a stated priority of the Annapolis City Council, is to work toward helping people move around the City without burning fossil fuels,” said Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley. “We can’t do it overnight, and we can’t do it on our own. I am so pleased that we pursued this funding because it will help us work toward our goal without having to rely solely on Annapolis taxpayers.”

Annapolis is only one of two cities in Maryland to receive funding from this round of FTA grants. Baltimore City received $5 million to purchase replacement hybrid-electric ferries that operate in the Inner Harbor.

In Annapolis, the ferry will operate between Eastport and City Dock in the downtown Historic District. The fixed-route service will accommodate workers, residents, and visitors and support the redevelopment of City Dock.

The “100 Percent Electric Mobility Plan” (O-40-21) was passed by the City Council to support the acquisition of electric vehicles, electric boats and associated support infrastructure. In that ordinance, the electric ferry was described as “the first step in building water transportation as a viable travel option in Annapolis that will reduce road congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, will provide an equitable transportation mode between Eastport and downtown Annapolis, and will demonstrate electric boats as an alternative to fossil fuel power boats.”

“We are an historic maritime City with a proud tradition for innovation,” said Deputy City Manager for Resilience and Sustainability Jacqueline Guild. “We are actively seeking out grants to make City transit options more sustainable both on land and on the water.”

This press release was produced by the City of Annapolis. The views expressed here are the author’s own.