Ollis-class ferry
{{Short description|Staten Island Ferry vessels}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2022}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
|+Ollis-class ferry {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:MV Michael H. Ollis 28 January 2022.jpg |Ship caption=MV SSG Michael H. Ollis docked in St. George in January 2022 }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Builders=Eastern Shipbuilding |Operators=Staten Island Ferry |Class before=Molinari-class |Class after= |Subclasses= |Built range= |In service range=2022- |Total ships building= |Total ships planned=3 |Total ships completed= |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active= |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships scrapped= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type=Ollis-class passenger ferry |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement= |Ship length={{convert|320|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|70|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draft={{convert|13|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= EMD 710 diesel engines |Ship speed= |Ship capacity=4,500 passengers |Ship crew=16 |Ship notes= }} |
The Ollis-class ferries are a trio of passenger ferries on the Staten Island Ferry, the first of which entered service in 2022. The class is named after US Army Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, a Staten Islander who was killed in action during the War in Afghanistan in 2013.
History
Early work on the class began in August 2014, after a study into the future of Staten Island Ferry's fleet showed that the most economical course would be new-build ships instead of rebuilding existing vessels. The Elliott Bay Design Group was awarded a contract to design the new ships, which will replace {{MV|John F. Kennedy}} and {{MV|Andrew J. Barberi}}, resulting in one additional ship in the Staten Island Ferry fleet.{{Cite news|url=http://www.silive.com/news/2014/08/post_894.html|title=New York City selects designer for new fleet of Staten Island ferries|last=Barone|first=Vin|date=August 6, 2014|work=Staten Island Advance|access-date=2017-09-20|language=en-US}}{{cite web | url=http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7101:elliott-bay-design-group-gets-staten-island-ferry-design-contract | title=EBDG awarded Staten Island Ferry design contract | publisher=Marine Log | date=August 4, 2014 | access-date=April 6, 2017}} The following month, substantial funding for the project, covering the construction of two ships, was secured with a $191.6 million federal grant from the Hurricane Sandy relief bill.{{cite web | url=http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7748:$1916-million-grant-for-new-staten-island-ferries | title=$191.6 million grant for new Staten Island Ferries | publisher=Marine Log | date=September 17, 2014 | access-date=April 6, 2017}} As part of the new order, city officials allowed passengers to vote on the types of seats that would be installed in the new fleet.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/29/nyregion/staten-island-ferry-riders-helping-to-pick-new-seats.html|title=Staten Island Ferry Riders Helping to Pick New Seats|last=Fitzsimmons|first=Emma G.|date=September 28, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}
In November 2016, Eastern Shipbuilding was confirmed as the low bidder for constructing the ships,{{cite web | url=http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=23793:eastern-low-bidder-for-staten-island-ferry-contract | title=Eastern low bidder for Staten Island Ferry contract | publisher=Marine Log | date=November 3, 2016 | access-date=April 6, 2017}} and the shipyard was awarded the contract with a notice to proceed on March 1, 2017.{{cite web | url=https://www.marinelog.com/coastal/ferries/eastern-shipbuilding-confirms-deal-for-staten-island-ferries/ | title=Eastern Shipbuilding confirms deal for Staten Island Ferries | publisher=Marine Log | date=April 4, 2017 | access-date=April 6, 2017}} The final price for construction of the three vessels was $314 million; in addition to the federal grant, state and city funding was also used. The first vessel, MV SSG Michael H. Ollis, was expected to be delivered in mid-2019, followed later that year by MV Sandy Ground, named after an early African American settlement on Staten Island.{{cite web | url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170414/west-brighton/sandy-ground-staten-island-ferry-mayor-bill-de-blasio | title=Staten Island Ferry to be Named After Underground Railroad Stop, Mayor Says | publisher=DNAinfo | date=April 14, 2017 |last=Rizzi |first=Nicholas | access-date=February 27, 2018 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228161519/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170414/west-brighton/sandy-ground-staten-island-ferry-mayor-bill-de-blasio | archive-date=February 28, 2018 }}
A petition to name the third Ollis-class ship after Staten Island firefighter John G. Chipura, who died in the September 11 attacks, reached 11,000 signatures by September 2017.{{Cite news|url=http://www.silive.com/news/2017/09/petition_to_name_ferry_boat_af.html|title=Petition to name ferry boat after 9/11 hero reaches 11,000|last=Porpora|first=Tracey|date=September 10, 2017|work=SILive.com|access-date=2017-09-20|language=en-US}} Other proposed namesakes include Russel Timoshenko, an NYPD officer killed in the line of duty in 2007.{{cite web | last=Rizzi | first=Nicholas | title=Murdered NYPD Officer Could Have Staten Island Ferry Named After Him | website=DNAinfo New York | date=2016-10-19 | url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20161019/st-george/nypd-russel-timoshenko-staten-island-ferry-petition | access-date=2018-10-09 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009132039/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20161019/st-george/nypd-russel-timoshenko-staten-island-ferry-petition/ | archive-date=2018-10-09 | url-status=dead }} In March 2020, the Mayor's office announced it would be named for Catholic social activist Dorothy Day.{{cite web |title=New Staten Island Ferry Boat to be Named for Dorothy Day, Renowned Social Activist Who Lived and Worked on Staten Island. |url=https://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/219-21/new-staten-island-ferry-boat-be-named-dorothy-day-renowned-social-activist-who-lived-and |website=nyc.gov |access-date=June 2, 2021}}
In October 2018, the timeline for the ferries' delivery was pushed back. Some of the parts for the first two Ollis-class ferries were being manufactured at Eastern Shipbuilding's shipyard in Panama City, Florida, which had been severely damaged after Hurricane Michael that month.{{cite web | last=Knudson | first=Annalise | title=Fla. company building new Staten Island ferries damaged in Hurricane Michael | website=Staten island Advance | date=October 17, 2018 | url=https://www.silive.com/news/2018/10/florida-company-building-new-staten-island-ferries-damaged-in-hurricane-michael.html | access-date=October 18, 2018}}{{Cite web|last=Blenkey|first=Nick|date=2018-10-18|title=Workers return after hurricane to hard-hit Eastern Shipbuilding|url=https://www.marinelog.com/shipyards/shipyard-news/nyc-dot-issues-update-on-ferries-under-construction-at-eastern/|access-date=2020-06-30|website=Marine Log|language=en-US}} MV SSG Michael H. Ollis was launched in November 2019, with an expected delivery date of August 2020.{{cite web|last=Young|first=Michelle|date=2019-11-18|title=Watch a New Staten Island Ferry Get Launched into the Water|url=https://untappedcities.com/2019/11/18/watch-a-new-staten-island-ferry-get-launched-into-the-water/|access-date=2020-06-30|website=Untapped New York}} MV Sandy Ground was launched in June 2020.{{cite web | url=https://www.workboat.com/news/shipbuilding/eastern-shipbuilding-launches-second-new-staten-island-ferry/ | title=Eastern Shipbuilding launches second new Staten Island ferry | publisher=Workboat | date=July 2, 2020 | access-date=July 4, 2020}} Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the arrival of the new fleet was delayed again in July 2020.{{cite web|last=Bascome|first=Erik|date=July 2, 2020|title=New Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis ferryboat delivery delayed again|url=https://www.silive.com/coronavirus/2020/07/new-staff-sgt-michael-ollis-ferryboat-delivery-delayed-again.html|access-date=August 15, 2021|website=silive}} MV SSG Michael H. Ollis was towed from Florida to New York in August 2021,{{cite web|last=Lovallo|first=Lauren|date=August 14, 2021|title=See new Staten Island ferryboat named after hometown hero arrive in New York Harbor|url=https://www.silive.com/news/2021/08/see-new-staten-island-ferryboat-named-after-hometown-hero-arrive-in-new-york-harbor.html|access-date=August 15, 2021|website=silive}}{{cite web|date=March 1, 2021|title=Eastern Shipbuilding launches third Ollis-class ferry for New York's Staten Island Ferry|url=https://www.workboat.com/shipbuilding/eastern-shipbuilding-launches-third-ollis-class-ferry-for-new-york-s-staten-island-ferry|access-date=August 15, 2021|website=WorkBoat}} and she entered service on February 14, 2022.{{cite web | last=Bascome | first=Erik | title=Staten Island Ferry boat SSG Michael H. Ollis makes maiden voyage with passenger service to Manhattan | website=silive | date=2022-02-14 | url=https://www.silive.com/news/2022/02/newest-staten-island-ferry-boat-ssg-michael-h-ollis-carries-passengers-for-first-time.html | access-date=2022-02-15}}
MV Sandy Ground was delivered at the end of December 2021{{cite web | last=Simas | first=Kayla | title=Ferryboat Sandy Ground arrives in NYC; see the second of 3 new Staten Island ferries | website=silive | date=December 31, 2021 | url=https://www.silive.com/news/2021/12/ferryboat-sandy-ground-arrives-in-nyc-see-the-second-of-3-new-staten-island-ferries.html | access-date=June 25, 2022}} and entered service on June 17, 2022.{{cite web | last=Alves | first=Giavanni | title=Inaugural ride of Sandy Ground ferryboat marks history of the oldest U.S. continuously inhabited free Black settlement | website=silive | date=June 17, 2022 | url=https://www.silive.com/news/2022/06/inaugural-ride-of-sandy-ground-ferryboat-marks-history-of-the-oldest-us-continuously-inhabited-free-black-settlement.html | access-date=June 25, 2022}}
On December 22, 2022, a fire broke out in the engine room of the Sandy Ground.{{cite web |last=Martinez |first=Gina |title=More than 800 passengers evacuated after fire breaks out on Staten Island ferry |website=CBS News |date=2022-12-22 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-than-800-passengers-evacuated-staten-island-ferry-fire/ |access-date=2023-02-27}} The ferry remained out of service for repairs until late April 2025.https://www.silive.com/transportation/2025/05/staten-island-ferry-vessel-sandy-ground-back-in-service-more-than-2-years-after-fire.html
The third ferry, MV Dorothy Day was launched at 26 March 2021,{{cite web|last=Blenkey |first=Nick |date=2021-03-31 |title=Eastern Shipbuilding launches third Ollis class ferry |url=https://www.marinelog.com/passenger/ferries/video-eastern-shipbuilding-launches-third-ollis-class-ferry/|access-date=2023-02-27|website=www.marinelog.com}} delivered in September 2022,{{cite web|date=2022-09-06 |title=Eastern Shipbuilding delivers third and final Staten Island Ferry |url=https://www.workboat.com/shipbuilding/eastern-shipbuilding-delivers-third-and-final-staten-island-ferry|access-date=2023-02-27|website=www.workboat.com}} and entered service on April 28, 2023.https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2023/dorothy-day-inaugural-ride.shtml
Design
Each ship of the class will be {{convert|320|ft|m}} long, with a beam of {{convert|70|ft|m}}, and a loaded draft of {{convert|13|ft}}. They will carry 4,500 passengers, with a crew complement of 16. They will be powered by four EMD 12-710 diesel engines arranged in two married pairs, each of which drive a cycloidal propeller at each end of the ship for double-ended operation.