The 154-foot vessel, the M/V Captain Almer Dinsmore, can carry up to 250 passengers and 23 vehicles and will serve the Rockland-to-Vinalhaven route
The 154-foot vessel, the M/V Captain Almer Dinsmore, can carry up to 250 passengers and 23 vehicles and will serve the Rockland-to-Vinalhaven route
The Maine State Ferry Service introduced its first hybrid diesel-electric ferry Thursday, naming the vessel after a longtime captain who spent decades serving the state's island communities.
The 154-foot vessel, the M/V Captain Almer Dinsmore, can carry up to 250 passengers and 23 vehicles. It will serve the Rockland-to-Vinalhaven route.
The ferry is named for Captain Almer Dinsmore, who spent 45 years at sea and joined the Maine State Ferry Service in 1978. He served on routes connecting several island communities before retiring in 2013.
During a commissioning ceremony Thursday in Rockland, officials unveiled a plaque bearing Dinsmore's name and likeness aboard the new vessel.
Dinsmore said the recognition was overwhelming, especially considering his upbringing in Steuben.
“Just little old me growing up in Steuben, Maine, I never would've thought of nothing like this,” Dinsmore said. “It's awesome.”
The new ferry uses a hybrid propulsion system that combines diesel engines with electric motors. The technology is designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who lives on North Haven and relies on the ferry system to travel to and from the mainland, said the hybrid technology could help reduce operating costs for the service.
“Being able to bring down the fuel costs for these ferries by making them hybrid is critically important, especially in a time of tight budgets,” Pingree said.
The new vessel is expected to begin carrying passengers immediately on the Rockland-to-Vinalhaven route.