Thursday, November 7, 2024

Ferry Powhatan’s arrival date still unclear as crews work to fix mechanical issue

The new 70-car Powhatan was originally slated to join the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry fleet in spring 2018, but was delayed after crews discovered the ferry had an issue with vibrations while operating the drive shaft. (WYDaily/Courtesy VDOT)
The new 70-car Powhatan was originally slated to join the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry fleet in spring 2018, but was delayed after crews discovered the ferry had an issue with vibrations while operating the drive shaft. (WYDaily/Courtesy VDOT)

Crews in Mississippi are still working on the James River’s newest ferry, vetting out mechanical issues and conducting tests.

But, still no updated timeframe for when the ferry will make its debut in Virginia waters.

“We cannot provide an updated timeline for when Ferryboat Powhatan may arrive because we are waiting on a revised schedule from the builder,” said Nina Napolitano, a VDOT spokeswoman.

The new 70-car vessel was originally slated to join the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry fleet in spring 2018, but was delayed after crews discovered the ferry had an issue with vibrations while operating the drive shaft.

“Although the discovery has delayed Powhatan’s arrival, this is exactly the kind of issue we had hoped to uncover during early testing,” Napolitano said. “It is much better for us to learn about these things beforehand and address them before putting the boat into operation.”

Since then, VDOT has been working with the shipyard, VT Halter Marine Shipyard, and ferry designer to ensure the issue will not impact operations once the ferry gets to Virginia.

The ferry must pass all tests and mandatory Coast Guard inspections to join the fleet on the James River.

Builders aim to fix the vibration issue by adjusting the ship’s bearings.

A traditional drive shaft is held in place by bearings which help to minimize vibrations during operation,” Napolitano said. “We are planning to add a bearing, move a bearing and adjust some supporting components to minimize the vibrations.”

Other than the vibration, the project team has not found any other significant issues with the Powhatan. Some adjustments and refinements have been made, however, which is standard, Napolitano said.

In the meantime, the Virginia continues to run in the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry fleet.

The Powhatan will join three other ships in the Jamestown-Scotland fleet including the 50-car Williamsburg, 50-car Surry and 70-car Pocahontas.

The Powhatan will take the place of the 25-car Virginia, which was built in 1936 and is the oldest of the fleet.

The state is currently in the process of selling the Virginia, but Napolitano declined to release specifics on the transaction or the timeline for the sale because the deal has not been finalized.

The Powhatan project is currently under budget, Napolitano noted.

VDOT allocated $2.5 million for design and $25 million for construction of the Powhatan. The department also has contingency funds available in case additional needs arise, Napolitano said.

Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing
Sarah Fearing is the Assistant Editor at WYDaily. Sarah was born in the state of Maine, grew up along the coast, and attended college at the University of Maine at Orono. Sarah left Maine in October 2015 when she was offered a job at a newspaper in West Point, Va. Courts, crime, public safety and civil rights are among Sarah’s favorite topics to cover. She currently covers those topics in Williamsburg, James City County and York County. Sarah has been recognized by other news organizations, state agencies and civic groups for her coverage of a failing fire-rescue system, an aging agriculture industry and lack of oversight in horse rescue groups. In her free time, Sarah enjoys lazing around with her two cats, Salazar and Ruth, drinking copious amounts of coffee and driving places in her white truck.

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