MERRIMACK RIVER – By the summer of 2027, a fun outing would be to hop on one of three brightly colored Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority (MeVa) ferries and ride for free up and down this powerful river.
The solar-powered catamarans will be 33 feet long and carry 22 passengers making several stops along the river, including Amesbury, Haverhill, Newburyport and Salisbury.
“Our vision is to integrate all transportation services, buses, vans and eventually trains with the ferry,” said MeVA administrator Noah Berger.
MeVa has selected Lyman Morse of Thomaston and Camden, ME, as the contractor, a 47-year-old boat and yacht builder. It will work with Bill Lincoln of Response Marine to design the all-aluminum vessels.
The ferries will have all-electric propulsion manufactured and installed by Evoy Vita and will be able to cruise at 10-12 knots. The trip from Haverhill to Newburyport is expected to take about an hour. The trip across the river from Amesbury to Newburyport will take 15 to 20 minutes.
The deck will be on one level throughout and will be handicapped accessible.
The solar panels will be on the roof to help charge the batteries. The roof will provide shelter from inclement weather and there will be roll-up curtains on the sides to allow for a breeze in the summer.
The design of the aluminum catamarans with both bow and side doors will be in accordance with USCG sub-chapter T.
Jonathan Egan, project manager for the vessels, said the three boats will cost $3 million and take a year to build.
MEVA was awarded $4.2 million from the federal government to develop the ferry service.
The plan is to use the existing downtown municipal docks in Haverhill, behind 100 Washington St. and in Newburyport, behind 54 Merrimack St., which served the Yankee Clipper boat tours. In Amesbury, the ferry will use a renovated municipal dock, which is being upgraded a part of a state grant of $840,000 to improve the dock and other waterfront facilities. ♦
