Case Study: Hendy Power, Baudouin Marine Engines New York City Ferry

Location: New York City, USA
Product: Baudouin 6M26.3 & 12M26.3 Marine Propulsion Engines
Application: Passenger Ferries 

First announced by the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, the NYC Ferry service provides a new way to travel between waterfront communities throughout New York City. Launched in May 2017, the six routes span over 60 nautical miles of waterways, connecting Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx - and the entire ferry network is powered by Baudouin marine propulsion engines.

“Baudouin makes marine engines. They don’t make truck engines, they don’t make crane engines, and we needed a specialist.” -Cameron Clark, VP Hornblower

The NYC Ferry service is operated by Hornblower, one of the largest cruise and charter yacht companies in the USA. Founded 40 years ago, they began with just two yachts offering private hires for vacations, weddings and day excursions. From day one, Hornblower has been the brainchild of Californian Terry MacRae, who still serves as CEO today. Hornblower has enjoyed massive growth over the years. As well as the NYC Ferry service, they operate tourist boat trips serving the Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz and Niagara Falls, maintain cruise fleets from seven California port cities, and are renowned for offering some of the most unique on-the-water experiences in the USA.

To launch the NYC Ferry service, Hornblower were looking for engines that they could rely on for continuous power during ferry service routes, 16 hours a day, seven days a week. After bidding, Baudouin won the contract to supply and fit 6M26.3 and 12M26.3 marine propulsion engines for this new line of state-of-the-art ferries. There were many factors at play. Stringent EPA Tier 3 ratings had to be met, and efficient fuel consumption was critical. Able to deliver over and above these criteria, Baudouin with its distributor Motor-Services Hugo Stamp, Inc., offered support throughout the construction period at the shipyards as well as in New York during the initial months of operation to ensure a smooth entry into service. “Baudouin makes marine engines. They don’t make truck engines, they don’t make crane engines, and we needed a specialist” says Cameron Clark, Hornblower’s vice president and second in command. “Baudouin’s M26.3 engine line meets EPA Tier 3 emission standards and is easily serviceable in the boats.”

The NYC Ferry project has been a huge success. Originally expected to carry around 4.5 million passengers annually, in the first year of service the figure actually exceeded 9 million, double the original projection. To meet demand, Hornblower ordered new vessels, expanding the fleet and increasing the number of routes and piers. Baudouin engines are now fitted to a total of 27 Hornblower vessels, providing regular services on all of the routes. Relying solely on Baudouin power, the NYC Ferry service has reduced strain on the other methods of public transport and opened up a bold new commuting option in the Big Apple.