The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) Commission voted to award a contract for the construction and outfitting of a new 75-car passenger/vehicle diesel-hybrid ferry to Senesco Marine LLC.
The new ferry, designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, will join the fleet at Cape May – Lewes Ferry and eventually replace the Cape Henlopen, an over 40-year-old diesel engine ferry serving passengers traveling between Lewes, Del., and Cape May, N.J. DRBA Executive Director Joel Coppadge realizes the historical significance of the Cape May – Lewes Ferry and its importance to the resort communities on both sides of the Delaware Bay. “For sustainable ferry operations in the future, it’s imperative we make this necessary capital investment today,” Coppadge said.
The benefits of this new eco-friendly vessel include lower operating and maintenance costs, decreased emissions at sea and zero emissions while near port and docked. The hybrid and all-electric operating modes are estimated to achieve the following annual reductions: 2,025 tons in carbon dioxide, 102.7 tons in nitrogen dioxide, 1.51 tons of fine particulate matter, 1.03 tons of hydrocarbons, and five tons of carbon monoxide. The new engines will also reduce fuel consumption by an estimated 35 percent.
The project’s price tag of $78.6 million is partially funded with a $20 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant award. The board action to award the contract, which is subject to the New Jersey and Delaware Governors’ ten-day review and consent period, took place at the bi-state agency’s monthly meeting on Nov. 18, 2025. With the recent bid award complete, construction on the new vessel is slated to start early next year with a projected completion date of summer 2029.
PHOTO CREDIT: Photo: Elliott Bay Design Group