Golden Gate Bridge Highway Transportation District launches ferry replacement programme
Mavrik Marine Inc has been selected to build high-speed passenger ferries for the Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District, with battery-electric catamaran ferries ordered as part of the district’s eight-vessel Lima Class Ferry Replacement Programme to provide transport services in San Francisco Bay.
The ferries were developed by Aurora Marine Design in San Diego with structural design from One2Three Naval Architects, Australia.
Golden Gate Ferry began service in the early 1970s with the original Golden Gate and three Spaulding-class monohulls and, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, expanded with high-speed aluminum catamarans that serve the core Larkspur-San Francisco route. Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District (District) added that through disciplined maintenance and mid-life overhauls, it has extended the useful lives of these assets while maintaining a reliable service to the public.
Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District said, “The immediate replacement need is driven by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Commercial Harbor Craft regulation, which mandates substantially lower emissions from ferry propulsion systems, coupled with the advancing age of the District’s fleet. Several vessels are at or beyond the end of their economic service life. Further life-extension or repower projects are constrained by parts obsolescence, integration limits, and the performance tradeoffs necessary to comply with CARB requirements. After approximately 25 years of service, District vessels are generally eligible for Federal Transit Administration replacement funding, enabling the District to modernise the fleet in a manner that aligns regulatory compliance, operational reliability and prudent use of external funds.”
The catamarans will carry 500 passengers and will be powered by six MAN D2862 1066kW Tier 4 engines. Echandia will provide electrical storage.
San Francisco Bay Ferry has recently celebrated commissioning Zalophus, the agency’s newest high-speed passenger ferry and the 19th vessel in its fleet. It follows Karl, which entered service in Q2 2025. The vessels are powered by four US Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 engines equipped with diesel particulate filters.
Zalophus is the fourth vessel in the Dorado class and its final diesel-powered vessel. Built by Mavrik Marine, it was designed by One2Three Naval Architects and construction management services were provided by Aurora Marine Design.
