Construction Begins on Newest Washington Island Ferry

On Monday, August 12, 2019, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding hosted team members from the Washington Island Ferry Line to witness the start of construction of its newest year-round operational ferry, to be named Madonna.

Workers in the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding fabrication shop completed the first burn of steel material for the vessel, which will measure 124 feet in length (40 foot beam, 10 ft. 8in. depth). It will have capacity for as many as 28 vehicles and 150 passengers. The new ferry will be the largest in the Ferry Line fleet to-date. It is scheduled for delivery in late May 2020.

“We are pleased to build what is our third ferry for Washington Island,” says Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding’s Vice President and General Manager Todd Thayse. “All current ferry vessels were built in Sturgeon Bay – two by Peterson Builders and this will be our third here at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

“This opportunity to build yet another ferry vessel in a Door County shipyard is something we’re extremely proud of,” says Washington Island Ferry Line President Hoyt Purinton. “Built locally, this ferry – like our other vessels – will operate exclusively in Door County waters between Washington Island and the tip of the Door Peninsula.”

Find full project details here in our May 2019 announcement on our website.

If you have access to Dropbox, you can obtain a video of the first burn here.

For higher resolution photos, contact me directly and I can send additional files to you.

Media Contact:
Melissa Wollering, Fincantieri Marine Group, Senior Manager – Communications at 715.587.2993
melissa.wollering@us.fincantieri.com

About Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding
Located in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) is an industry leader in the construction, conversion and repair of large ships – tracing its rich history back more than 100 years. The diversified FBS portfolio includes all types of vessels including articulated tug-barge units, dredges and dredging support equipment, self-unloading carriers, ferries and offshore support vessels. On the repair side, FBS is expert at managing critical deadlines in the repair and sustainment of bulk carriers and other ships of the Great Lakes Winter Fleet.

Shipbuilding facilities at the 63-acre plant include a large graving dock, a U.S. Navy-certified drydock, and lifting capacity to meet the most demanding requirements. Erection buildings are climate-controlled and equipped with sophisticated computer-aided manufacturing equipment. Fincantieri’s skilled workforce has an average of more than 20 years of shipyard construction experience, in-house engineering, and a management team focused on client satisfaction and on-time delivery.

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding is an operating unit of Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), the United States division of global shipbuilding giant Fincantieri. fincantieribayshipbuilding.com

About Fincantieri
Fincantieri is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups and has built more than 7,000 vessels in over 230 years of maritime history. It is a leader in cruise ship design and construction and a reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry’s sectors, from naval to offshore vessels, from high-complexity special vessels and ferries to mega-yachts, ship repairs and conversions, systems and components production and after-sales services. Fincantieri operates in the United States through its subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG). This company, which serves commercial and government customers in the USA, including the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, has three shipyards (Fincantieri Marinette Marine, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and Fincantieri ACE Marine) located in the Great Lakes.
www.fincantierimarinegroup.com

About Washington Island Ferry Line, LLC
Washington Island Ferry Line’s operations began with two wooden ferries purchased in April of 1940. Today, steel hulls of modern design meet a year-around, daily schedule of service. Washington Island, Wisconsin is a 35-square mile island and home to just over 700 residents. Homeport for the Ferry Line is Detroit Harbor, located 4.5 miles from the tip of the Door Peninsula. Washington Island becomes a popular summer destination, with thousands of seasonal Island homeowners, day-visitors and those who travel through Washington Island to reach Rock Island State Park for hiking or camping. Visitors board ferries at Northport Pier, at the northern end of State Highway 42, an approximately 1-hour drive north of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. In addition to providing an enjoyable experience on Lake Michigan waters, Washington Island ferries perform essential, lifeline service by carrying all varieties of cargo, mail and package freight, in addition to passengers and vehicles. Customer parking near the Northport dock is available to those who wish to board on foot for enjoyment of Island summer activities, such as bicycling or touring. Ferry schedules, rates and related Island information can be found at wisferry.com

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