California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Liane Randolph, joined partner organizations, to welcome San Francisco Bay Ferry’s newest high-speed passenger vessel, MV Karl, to its fleet.
MV Karl is the cleanest diesel high-speed passenger ferry in the nation and the first delivered to meet CARB’s new emissions limits for commercial harbor craft. The ferry is powered by four U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 engines and is equipped with diesel particulate filters (DPF), a first in the passenger ferry industry.
”MV Karl is a perfect example of what is possible when cleaner transportation options are embraced and brought to market. This passenger ferry will provide Bay Area residents and visitors alike with an alternative that recognizes the importance of clean air and public health in the communities adjacent to the Bay,” said CARB Chair Randolph.
MV Karl is among the last diesel vessels that will be added to the SF Bay Ferry Fleet. CARB recently approved SF Bay Ferry’s plan to accelerate adoption of zero-emission technology for new short-run and existing transbay routes. SF Bay Ferry’s first five battery-electric ferries are currently under construction, with the first vessel expected to be in service in early 2027.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Representative John Garamendi secured federal funding for the DPF technology on MV Karl, which they maintain will improve air quality that in the communities served by SF Bay Ferry.