Cape May-Lewes Ferry receives $6 million grant

Cape May-Lewes Ferry was awarded a $6 million grant to help repower and retrofit two of its vessels.

The MV New Jersey and MV Cape Henlopen will get new engines that not only are more efficient, but are expected to reduce emissions by nearly 40 percent, according to James N. Hogan, vice chairman of the Delaware River and Bay Authority, which owns and operates the ferry. The old engines are more than 40 years old and are approaching 100,000 operating hours, or the equivalent of 1.5 million miles, said James E. Salmon, a spokesman for the authority.

The agency expects to save about $130,000 per year in maintenance costs associated with the old engines. The new, clean diesel engines also will have the capability to be converted to operate on natural gas in the future. The new propulsion engines are anticipated to reduce fuel use by 39,600 gallons and carbon dioxide emissions by 443 tons annually.

Money for the engines comes from the Federal Transit Administration's Passenger Ferry Grant.