Switch Maritime secures a Coast Guard design basis agreement for the Switch-150

WorkBoat reported on 21 October 2026 that Switch Maritime has secured a design basis agreement from the US Coast Guard for the Switch-150, a 150-passenger hydrogen fuel-cell-electric ferry. The company announced it on Wednesday. The agreement sets the regulatory framework for the vessel's construction, commissioning and operation. The announcement did not include a construction schedule, a shipyard or a planned delivery date.

Francisco Planells, newbuild program director at Switch, said: "Signing the DBA with the Coast Guard is a critical milestone in advancing the development of the Switch-150. With the DBA in hand, Switch, our project team, and the USCG have a clear and defined framework that will inform vessel construction, commissioning, and ultimately operation."

Incat Crowther designed the 93'6" by 29'6" aluminium catamaran. The company said the vessel's only emission is water vapor, and that it is designed to match the service speeds of diesel ferries and to bunker daily, without added dwell time for charging. The first Switch-150 is intended to operate in New York City, based at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provided a $2 million grant to develop and demonstrate the first hydrogen-powered ferry in New York State.