ABB Selects Corvus Energy Battery Systems for Washington State Ferries’ New Hybrid Vessels in Major US Maritime Electrification Project

ABB Marine & Ports has selected advanced battery systems from Corvus Energy for a new series of hybrid ferries being built for Washington State Ferries (WSF), marking a significant milestone in US maritime electrification.

ABB, acting as propulsion single-source vendor for WSF, will integrate Corvus’ Dolphin NxtGen Energy Storage Systems into two new ferries, with an option for a third vessel. The 1,500-passenger ships, each capable of carrying 160 vehicles, will be constructed by Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Florida, with delivery scheduled for 2030–31.

The hybrid ferries will combine energy storage systems with diesel-powered generators. When supported by adequate shoreside charging infrastructure, the vessels will be able to operate solely on battery power, enabling fully emissions-free voyages. This approach supports Washington State’s broader strategy to modernize and decarbonize its ferry fleet.

These vessels represent the first phase of WSF’s extensive fleet replacement program, which could expand to as many as 16 new ships at an estimated cost approaching $4 billion. Washington State Ferries, the largest ferry operator in the United States, currently runs 21 car-passenger ferries across ten routes serving 19 terminals.

Corvus Energy CEO Fredrik Witte described the agreement as a landmark achievement for marine electrification in the United States, highlighting Washington State’s Ferry Electrification Plan as a leading example of sustainable ferry operations both nationally and globally.

The initiative is widely regarded as the largest capital investment in US maritime electrification to date. It also comes amid shifting federal climate policy, following the recent decision by the US President to withdraw the country from international decarbonisation initiatives aimed at combating climate change.