VT Halter launches newest Va. ferry

VT Halter Marine of Pascagoula, Miss., announced Aug. 13 the successful launch of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) newest ferry, the Powhatan. The 270-foot vessel is to be delivered later this summer. In November 2016, VT Halter was awarded the contract for the design, construction and delivery of the new 499-passenger/70-vehicle ferry, which will replace the current vessel, the Virginia, which was built in 1936. “We hope that the Powhatan delivers many years of great performance on par with the prior ferry, the Pocahontas that we had designed, built and delivered in 1995,” Ronald Baczkowski, CEO of VT Halter Marine, said in a media release. The Powhatan is part of Virginia’s six-year improvement plan for 2013-18 with $2.5M allocated for design and $25M for construction. The ferry will be part of the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry system, which transports about 936,000 vehicles annually and is the only 24-hour, state-run ferry in Virginia. (Source: Work Boat 08/13/18)