California has set new emissions requirements for commercial craft operating in state waters — and the ferry now under construction for Catalina Express is one of the first direct responses to them. The 524-passenger, low-emissions catamaran being built by Marine Group Boat Works was made possible through backing from the Port of Los Angeles and the California Air Resources Board, and represents a real-world demonstration of what compliant, next-generation ferry design looks like. This session brings together the shipbuilder and operator to walk through how the vessel came together and what it takes to absorb the Tier 4 requirements while delivering a high-performance ferry.
The conversation will cover the technical and programmatic realities of building to a new regulatory standard — from propulsion choices and emissions systems to design tradeoffs and the role of public funding in making the project viable.
Attendees will:
- Understand what California’s new commercial vessel emissions requirements demand, and why operators beyond California should be paying attention
- Learn how the Los Angeles Marine Emission Reduction program brought together public and private entities to make next-generation vessel construction financially viable
- Hear from the shipbuilder and operator on the technical and commercial realities of building a low-emissions ferry to meet a new regulatory standard
- Leave with a clearer picture of how emissions regulation is reshaping what operators build and why