The world's largest solar boat, a catamaran called Tûranor, reached New York City Monday afternoon, docking at the North Cove Marina in downtown Manhattan at about 5 p.m. New York is the boat's sixth stop in a trans-Atlantic expedition that began in March in the south of France....
The world's largest solar boat is a catamaran named Tûranor (the name comes from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, it means Master of the Sun) operated by the PlanetSolar Expedition. They've been roaming the oceans for a couple of years, completing a record-breaking 18-month, 37,000-mile trip around the world last year. This year, the PlanetSolar crew are tracking the Gulf Stream, all the way from Miami, Florida, to Bergen in Norway, taking all kinds of water and air measurements along the way, hoping to advance the scientific understanding of this important ocean current and its impacts on the planet's climate.
This week they are stopped in New York City...
Earlier this afternoon, Peter Knowlton spotted the Planet Solar Powered Boat in the East River passing Roosevelt Island and shares these photos.
So close yet so far. Take a look at the East River Ferry Map above and try to figure out what is missing. Got it yet? That's right, no Roosevelt Island on the East River Ferry Service Map which terminates just south of us in Long Island City.
... Sometime pretty much around mid-June (probably!), New York Waterway will launch service connecting Greenpoint, Williamsburg and DUMBO to Lower Manhattan and Midtown every 20 minutes for $4 a ride.
The city-subsidized service amounts to the latest riverboat gamble for an administration that has seen earlier service sink. Even with a three-year, $9.3-million subsidy — up from zero for a prior operator — it is unclear if enough paying customers will keep this boat afloat.
“It’s going to take time to build traffic,” said New York Waterway CEO Paul Goodman. “Right now, it is all a question of frequency — and 20-minute frequency is what you need so that people don’t think of it as appointment ridership.”...
...The two deck, 74-foot ferries that can hold up to 100 people are going to be running on a commuter's schedule, operating from 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. every twenty minutes (weekend service is 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. with additional stops at Atlantic Avenue and Governors Island). The main challenge is going to be getting people to fork over the $4 per ride or the $140 for a monthly pass. And to stay afloat, the ferry is going to have to draw in about 718,000 commuters every year, but it's slightly bolstered by the city subsidy of $9.3 million over three years....
... The new East River ferry service will only be viable with subsidies, the EDC report pointed out.
The agency anticipated the ferry service will break even if it has an annual ridership of 467,000 with an annual subsidy of $4.3 million. That would translate to a break of $9.30 per ride for an average fare of $5.
The city, however, is only contributing $3 million.
Subsidizing transit is not uncommon: The Long Island Rail Road has a subsidy of roughly $6 per passenger and the New York City Transit Express bus system's subsidy is roughly $12 per rider.
A ferry route along the east side of Manhattan that stops stopping along the Upper East Side at East 90th and East 71st streets, Roosevelt Island, East 34th and East 23th streets and Pier 11, would need a subsidy of $9.15 per ride, the EDC study said....
I asked Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Director Jonathan Kalkin what's the latest on Roosevelt Island ferry service. Mr. Kalkin replied:
I've been working for months now to get Roosevelt Island ferry service. Several months back we approved an assessment of the oil dock for ferry service behind the tram so that is almost completed. In addition, I have been talking to several vendors about a Roosvevelt Island ferry service.
I am also looking into and working with green companies like Solar Sailor that can retrofit their ferry with hybrid and solar technology. However all of this takes time for certification. I think we are very far ahead and there is a great opportunity to have a green and accessible form of transport on the Island, but it is still a work in progresss. I'm working hard to make it a reality.
RIOC Officials Waving Goodbye To Roosevelt Island Temporary Ferry Service in November 2009
More on Roosevelt Island ferry service from previous posts.
Roosevelt Island receives much grief from many of our fellow New York City residents for being strange, insular, creepy, spooky, stuck in the past etc - and some of that is true. But there is another side to Roosevelt Island which is at the forefront of urban planning and the use of new and exciting technology for the betterment of those who live, work and visit here....
Here's another exciting example. Last Tuesday, I assisted Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Director Jonathan Kalkin in organizing a meeting to discuss how to bring Solar Powered Hybrid Ferries to the New York City Waterfront including Roosevelt Island. Mr. Kalkin provides the details.
On Tuesday at the Interferry Conference in Brooklyn New York, I had the great honor of introducing Solar Hybrid Ferries to Roosevelt Island and New York City. Present for the meeting was representation from the EPA, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney's office, Borough President Scott Stringer's office, Assembly member Micah Kellner, City Council member Jessica Lappin, Tom Fox Of NY Water Taxi and members of the Durst Organization, and RIOC President and VP Leslie Torres and Fernando Martinez. Dr. Robert Dane, CEO of Solar Sailor gave a presentation of his patented Solar Sail technology that could be added to present ferries or put into new ones.
I was invited to the Department of Energy to an EPA conference about a month ago to discuss some of the Green Initiatives on Roosevelt Island. During my discussions there with a number of DOE, NYSERDA, and EPA representatives, I asked if there was ferry funding at the DOE or anywhere else. They said I could get funding for a green ferry, but even they said they weren't aware of any in the United States.
I did some research and contacted Dr. Dane of Solar Sailor of Australia. His ferry technology is used in Australia, and now Shanghai and Hong Kong. A Hybrid Solar Ferry resolves most of the ferry issues that plague New York City. First and foremost, most ferry systems are simply not profitable for the operator. Fuel costs are very high and therefore the price per ride has to be as well. If the price per ride is too high it is not competitive with other forms of transportation, even if its more convenient. Even with a high price ticket without a subsidy most ferries can't work.
Almost all forms of public transportation are subsidized. However ferries are not and it has been difficult to find a ferry that is profitable without a large subsidy. Also there is always a concern of the ferries keeping their engines idle in docks and adding pollution to the water and air around it. A Hybrid/Solar ferry runs up to 8 knots with zero emissions and can travel with hundreds of passengers. Like a Toyota Prius it can run faster if needed on diesel, but the overall fuel savings is 30, 40 and sometimes 50 percent. If the ferry goes on short distances like across our East River, it can run on zero fuel and when sitting in the dock will have zero emissions. Also it is very quiet.
After researching a number of green projects the main barrier is always the upfront capital cost. The operating cost once built is much cheaper, but it takes time to get the return on investment. That is why I contacted the EPA who have funding to pay for this. NYSERDA also has a program for development projects.
We are looking at a number or options for docks. Currently there is a dock near the Roosevelt Island Tram that would be a great addition to our transportation options and critical for island emergencies. I thought it would be a good idea to get everyone together to discuss this initiative and we had a great meeting thanks to the help of our great representatives and RIOC team. We set up a working group to research the project and to develop a proposal for the EPA and NYSERDA this year. It is really great to see Roosevelt Island not only lead the city, but now the USA in green projects.
For more on plans regarding the New York City Waterfront, here's a message from the Department of City Planning:
Help Plan the City’s Waterfront
The Department of City Planning is continuing its extensive public engagement process to develop Vision 2020: The New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan with a public meeting on Tuesday, October 12th, 2010. Vision 2020 will establish the city’s long range vision for a 21st Century waterfront, identifying opportunities for improvement and the strategies needed to realize this new vision. The meeting will present Vision 2020’s goals and draft recommendations and provide an opportunity for public comment. We urge you to be part of the process by reading the draft recommendations online at nyc.gov/waterfront, where you can also submit comments online, and attending the October 12th meeting:
Tuesday, October 12th, 6 p.m.
Rosenthal Pavilion, NYU Kimmel Center for University Life
60 Washington Square South, 10th Floor, New York, NY
Roosevelt Island is a mixed income, racially diverse waterfront community situated in the East River of New York City between Manhattan and Queens and is jurisdictionally part of Manhattan. The Roosevelt Island Tramway, which connects Roosevelt Island to the rest of Manhattan, has become the iconic symbol of Roosevelt Island to its residents.
The Purpose of this Blog is to provide accurate and timely information about Roosevelt Island as well as a forum for residents to express opinions and engage in a dialogue to improve our community.
