Metal Shark ferry arrives in NYC

The Ocean Queen Rockstar, the first of six 350-passenger vessels to assist NYC Ferry meet ridership demands, arrived in New York City this past week. The 97-foot aluminum catamaran was delivered by Metal Shark, from its Franklin, La., shipyard. After the public ferry system launched in May 2017, its operator, Hornblower, and the New York Economic Development Corp. scrambled to meet a greater than anticipated demand. As of July 12, five million passengers have ridden on the 16-boat fleet, according to EDC. Those 86-foot vessels carry up to 150 passengers and were built by Metal Shark and Horizon Shipbuilding of Bayou La Batre, Ala., which has since been sold to the Louisiana shipbuilder (Source: Marine Link 076/13/18)