AUGUST 2018 • FOGHORN 37 Complete control and steering systems for vessels of all types and sizes. +1 (604)572-3935 • Surrey, BC, Canada sales@kobelt.com • www.kobelt.com KOBELT MANUFACTURING CO.LTD. gplink.com Put Your Fleet at Your Fingertips MEMBERNEWS There’s a new ferry carrying commuters and tourists across San Francisco Bay. PVA Associate member Vigor recently delivered Argo, the third of four all aluminum, 400-passenger ferries to PVA Vessel member San Francisco Bay Ferry, also known as Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), in San Francisco, CA. The hull was constructed at Vigor Ballard in Washington State and the superstructure in Vigor’s new aluminum fabrication bay at its Harbor Island facility. “ T h e n e w f a b r i c a t i o n b a y significantly expands Vigor ’s production capabilities and capacity for our portfolio of aluminum workboats, high performance military craft and state of the art ferries like Argo,” said Tim Kolb, Vigor Puget Sound General Manager. “It was fitting to have this award-winning design be our inaugural vessel for the new facility.” Like its sister ships, Hydrus and Cetus, Argo is an efficient, environmentally-friendly design by Incat Crowther. The ferry has a service speed of 27 knots and a smooth, quiet ride which Vigor Senior Project Manager, Jim Gow attributes to its “floating house.” The superstructure has 180 independent mounts. The engines and wheelhouse sit on isolation mounts while the gears are hard mounted. “This configuration greatly reduces vibration, increasing passenger comfort,” explains Gow. Other PVA members were involved in the creation of the new ferry. Argo features a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment system developed by Pacific Power Group and is powered by two MTU 12V4000 M64 engines.Argo’s engines are able to burn biodiesel B5 and thereby further reduce emission, a high priority for the City of San Francisco. Construction of Carina, the fourth WETA ferry in the Hydrus class, is already underway at Vigor with delivery expected by the end of 2018. n San Francisco Bay Area has a New Ferry Argo enters service.