b'As the industry continues to rebound, more ships will be added to fleets across the country.With multiple ferries and cruise ships, among other types of passenger vessels, already under construction,the year ahead will see many new ships be built by and delivered to PVA members.Here is an overview of some of the vessels that are expected to be completed in the next few years. OPPOSITE PAGE: PHOTO COURTESY OF GILBERT ASSOCIATES INC.; THIS PAGE: PHOTO COURTESY OF AMERICAN CRUISE LINESVESSEL:American Eagle and American Glory The 109-passenger vessels will be 241 feet long, 56 feet wide, and fea-BUILDER:Chesapeake Shipbuilding ture the hybrid catamaran design that enables both shallow draft ac-OPERATOR:American Cruise Lines cess and stable sailing along lakes, rivers, bays, and Americas coastline. TYPE:Cruise ship Like all of ACLs new ships, the entire Project Blue fleet will be built by PVA member Chesapeake Shipbuilding, with the first two ships, American Cruise Lines (ACL), a PVA member, launched a project toAmerican Eagle and American Glory, due for delivery in 2023. build a fleet of 12 identical hybrid catamaran design sister ships. This new fleet, known as Project Blue, will be smaller vessels that will haveEach ship will offer 56 staterooms, nearly all with private balconies. near-shore operating versatility and are seen as go-anywhere ships.Observation and sitting areas will be available at the bow, both inside and outside, and each ship will showcase an expansive forward lounge Project Blue started as a design challenge to create a boat small enoughwith 270-degree views. At the stern, the ships will have a new adven-for New England harbors and stable enough for the Alaska Inside Pas- ture deck equipped with kayaks, tender, and other activity-related op-sage, with a draft shallow enough for the Atlantic Intracoastal Water- tions relevant to the itinerary. The ships will also feature two dining way, said ACL President & CEO Charles B. Robertson.venues, as well as room service.VESSEL:Capt. Almer Dinsmore sist, diesel-electric propulsion system with stored power utilizing NAVAL ARCHITECT:Gilbert Associates Inc. lithium-ion batteries. Propulsion will come from twin 600-hp Cat-OPERATOR:Maine State Ferry Service erpillar C18 engines paired with electric boost motors installed on TYPE:Passenger and vehicle ferry the Reintjes gearboxes, along with batteries that can store 570 kilo-watt-hours of electricity. BAE Systems is supplying the vessels mo-Gilbert Associates Inc.s Capt. Spear has a sister ferry, the futuretors and integration package. This sister hybrid vessel will have the Capt. Almer Dinsmore, that is currently under construction. It sharesexact dimensions and freight carrying capacity as the Capt. Spear. the same hull and dimensions, but the vessel features a hybrid-as- Delivery is scheduled for late 2023. 23 DECEMBER 2022'