Louisiana shipbuilder Metal Shark has completed a four-year run of production development for NYC Ferry with the delivery of the final new vessel to be added to the fleet.
“Time Traveler” is the twelfth 85-foot, 150-passenger, USCG Subchapter “T” NYC Ferry passenger vessel built at Metal Shark’s Franklin shipyard since the project began in April 2017. In that timeframe Metal Shark’s Franklin yard also produced ten 97-foot, 350-passenger, USCG Subchapter “K” passenger vessels for the operator, for a total of 22 Metal Shark-built ferries for the NYC Ferry service.
The delivery marks the conclusion of a long and prolific production run. In July 2016, Metal Shark, based in Jeanerette, was one of two builders originally selected to build passenger vessels for the new NYC Ferry Service. The other builder, Horizon Shipbuilding in Alabama, was acquired by Metal Shark in 2018. With less than ten months’ time from project start to the delivery of the first vessel, Metal Shark delivered all six of the ferries on or ahead of schedule between April and June 2017.
In September 2017, Metal Shark announced a second order of NYC Ferry vessels under construction. Multiple follow-on orders resulted in the continuous production of 150-passenger and 350-passenger NYC Ferry vessels at Metal Shark Franklin for four straight years.
Metal Shark has now built a total of 36 passenger vessels for operators nationwide, according to Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard.
In November, the company was among 39 U.S. firms to receive the President’s “E” Award for Exports, the highest recognition any U.S. entity can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross cited the company’s four-year growth in export sales. The awards were established in 1961.
