Echandia, the leading Swedish supplier of safe maritime battery systems, has been selected to supply maritime battery systems for San Francisco Bay Ferry’s Rapid Electric Emission Free (REEF) Ferry Program, according to the company's release.
As part of the REEF Program, San Francisco Bay Ferry is set to introduce a fleet of battery electric ferries, the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the USA. The first phase of this project includes the deployment of three 150-passenger battery electric ferries to operate on a network connecting emerging waterfront neighborhoods in San Francisco, and two 400-passenger battery electric ferries serving current SF Bay Ferry routes in Oakland and Alameda. The first REEF vessel is expected to enter service in 2026, with the initial battery systems scheduled for delivery in Q2 2025.
SF Bay Ferry and its REEF integration team is also working on designs for a new electric charging float for the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal. The float will have energy storage via battery banks to allow for rapid charging during dwell times at the terminal.
In July, Echandia announced the opening of a production facility in Marysville, WA. This facility will ensure that the San Francisco Bay’s new zero-emission vessels are powered with American-made batteries and FTA compliant. This means that Echandias battery systems will meet Buy America provisions, which require a certain percentage of the product’s components to be manufactured in the United States.