Solutions for Every Vessel

Exceptional Passenger Vessel and Ferry Design

At Gilbert Associates, our extensive ferry design and consulting experience means we are uniquely positioned to combine effective, time-tested principles of naval architecture with cutting-edge, innovative marine engineering solutions.

Our approach to passenger vessel and ferry design is no exception, with one of our earliest ferries still trekking between Martha’s Vineyard and Chappaquiddick, and one of our newest vessels being the first hybrid diesel/electric ferry designed and constructed in New England.

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Featured Passenger Vessels

Excursion Vessels

The 141' schooner Columbia under full sail

S/Y Columbia

The 141’ S/Y Columbia was designed as a replica of the original gaff-rigged topsail fishing schooner built in Essex, Massachusetts, in 1923. Gilbert Associates retained the original vessel’s lines while adapting the design from traditional wood construction to a modern steel hull, creating a fast and durable ocean yacht that remains faithful to her historic namesake.

M/Y Marita

This 45’ trawler yacht was designed by Gilbert Associates in 1998 for a client dissatisfied with the production yachts on the market. Using our expertise in designing trawlers for the rough seas of the North Atlantic, we incorporated these qualities into a sea-kindly and durable yacht. The M/Y Marita is powered by a single Caterpillar 3208 diesel engine for reliable and economical cruising.

S/S Belle of Cincinnati

A.K.A. “Emerald Lady” and sister vessel to the Diamond Lady and Par-a-dice, this 170’ LWL dinner/casino vessel was designed by Gilbert Associates in 1990. Unlike many “retro” paddlewheelers with only decorative free-spinning paddlewheels, these sternwheelers have fully functional paddlewheels that deliver 30% of the vessel’s propulsion.

M/V Harbour Master

Designed by Gilbert Associates in 1993 for Tall Ships (Barbados) Inc., the Harbour Master is a 100’ passenger vessel with a submersible section to allow tourists to get an underwater view of coral reefs.

The 187' Spirit of '98 excursion vessel, also known as the Pilgrim Belle

Spirit of ’98 / Pilgrim Belle

The 187’ Spirit of ’98, also known as the Pilgrim Belle, was designed by Gilbert Associates as a coastwise overnight excursion vessel. The paddlewheeler operated from Plymouth Harbor, carrying passengers on daytime and evening cruises and demonstrating another side of Gilbert Associates’ passenger vessel design capabilities.

Passenger Vehicle Ferries

Launch of the 154' M/V Capt. Richard G. Spear passenger and vehicle ferry designed by Gilbert Associates for MaineDOT

M/V Capt. Almer Dinsmore, a hybrid diesel/electric 154' ROPAX ferry designed by Gilbert Associates, on the building ways

M/V Capt. Richard G. Spear & M/V Capt. Almer Dinsmore

The 154’ M/V Capt. Richard G. Spear was designed for MaineDOT to carry up to 250 passengers and 23 vehicles between Rockland and the island community of Vinalhaven. Built by Washburn & Doughty Shipyard in East Boothbay, Maine, the Spear entered service in 2021. Her sister ship, M/V Capt. Almer Dinsmore, followed in 2025. Designed with hybrid diesel/electric propulsion, the Dinsmore is MaineDOT’s first hybrid diesel/electric ferry and the first hybrid diesel/electric ferry designed and constructed in New England.

Aerial view of the 300' passenger and vehicle ferry M/V Long Island underway

M/V Long Island passenger and vehicle ferry underway on Long Island Sound

M/V Long Island passenger and vehicle ferry underway

Aerial view from astern of the M/V Long Island ferry underway

MV PT Barnum - Gilbert Fishing Vessel Portfolio

Ferry Design of Passenger Vehicle MV Grand Republic II

M/V P.T. Barnum, M/V Grand Republic II & M/V Long Island

The M/V P.T. Barnum was commissioned in 1998, followed by the M/V Grand Republic II in 2002. More than two decades later, the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company returned to Gilbert Associates for a third 300’ passenger/vehicle ferry based on the proven design. Delivered in 2024, the M/V Long Island carries that design into a new generation with an EPA Tier IV-compliant power plant capable of pushing the vessel to speeds of up to 20 knots. Today, all three Gilbert Associates-designed ferries carry passengers and vehicles across Long Island Sound.

M/V George J. Mitchell

In 2023, MaineDOT contracted Gilbert Associates to design the 207’ M/V George J. Mitchell as a replacement for the M/V Margaret Chase Smith on the route between Lincolnville and the island community of Islesboro. The double-ended passenger/vehicle ferry is designed to run exclusively on battery-electric power during her normal operating profile, with two CAT C18 diesel generators providing contingency. Her double-ended configuration also reduces loading and maneuvering time at the beginning and end of each voyage.

M/V Charles Norman Shay

The 104’ M/V Charles Norman Shay was designed for the Maine State Ferry Service and commissioned on September 12, 2024. Serving the route between Rockland and Matinicus, Maine, she can carry up to 149 passengers and seven cars. Powered by two CAT C18 main engines, the Charles Norman Shay can reach speeds of approximately 13 knots. The vessel was named in honor of Charles Norman Shay, a Penobscot tribal elder and U.S. Army medic who served during the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

M/V Anna C.

The 175’ M/V Anna C. followed the M/V Carol Jean, another Gilbert Associates-designed passenger/vehicle ferry, four years after her sister ship entered service. While based on the earlier vessel, the Anna C. incorporated a lengthened bow and bulb designed to reduce resistance and increase speed. The two vessels demonstrate how a proven design can continue to evolve as operating requirements and opportunities change.

Ferry Design of Passenger Vehicle MV Margaret Chase Smith

3. 166'-6_ Passenger Vehicle Ferry - MV Margaret Chase Smith (4)

3. 166'-6_ Passenger Vehicle Ferry - MV Margaret Chase Smith (3)

3. 166'-6_ Passenger Vehicle Ferry - MV Margaret Chase Smith (2)

M/V Margaret Chase Smith

In 1987, the M/V Margaret Chase Smith was commissioned by the Maine State Ferry Service to carry up to 250 passengers and 33 cars between Lincolnville and Isleboro. A Gilbert Associates design, we continue to oversee any necessary updates and renovations to the vessel. The 166’-6” ferry was named after Senator Margaret Chase Smith, a Maine native who served first in the U.S. House of Representatives, and later as a U.S. senator. The retired Senator Smith was present at the M/V Margaret Chase Smith’s commissioning on December 1, 1987.

M/V Block Island

Designed by Gilbert Associates, this 185’ LWL passenger/vehicle ferry was built in 1997 by Eastern Shipbuilding. Capable of carrying 1000 passengers and 38 cars, the Block Island was designed specifically for year-round service between Point Judith and Block Island, RI. 28 years later, the M/V Block Island still makes multiple daily trips to Block Island, no matter the weather.

Passenger Ferries

M/V Island Runner

The M/V Island Runner is a 50’ aluminum passenger ferry designed by Gilbert Associates for the Vermont State Parks Service to cross from Kill Kare State Park to Burton Island State Park in Lake Champlain’s “Inland Sea”. The Island Runner is propelled by two Hamilton 291 waterjets, allowing her to reach high speeds with minimal draft.

14. 194' Passenger Vessel - Provincetown II (1)

14. 194' Passenger Vessel - Provincetown II (2)

14. 194' Passenger Vessel - Provincetown II (3)

M/V Provincetown I & M/V Provincetown II

In 1972, the Bay State Cruise Company commissioned The Provincetown I to carry passengers between Boston and Provincetown. The 135’ Gilbert-designed 600-passenger vessel made her first voyage out of South Bristol, ME, in the Damariscotta River, at a cruising speed of 15 knots. When he was just 14, John Gilbert, Jr. served as a crewmember aboard the Provincetown I. In 1980, the Bay State Cruise Company selected Gilbert Associates to design the Provincetown II, a 194’ 900-passenger vessel. While managing a few trips to her namesake town each summer, she mainly spends her time cruising around Boston Harbor.

M/V Outward Bound

Designed by Gilbert Associates in 1994 for service to Thompson Island (also called Cathleen Stone Island) in Boston Harbor, this 60’ LWL passenger vessel is still in service today.

M/V Nelseco

Designed by Gilbert Associates and built by Ed Gamage Shipbuilding in East Boothbay, ME in 1981, this 125’ passenger ferry carried up to 700 passengers per trip between Narragansett and Block Island, RI.

M/V Bay State

Designed by Gilbert Associates in 1975, this 110’ passenger/vehicle ferry is currently operated by Boston Harbor City Cruises (Owned by Hornblower Group).

M/V Great Point

Designed by Gilbert Associates in 1986-87 for Hy-Line cruises, the 190’ LWL passenger ferry M/V Great Point spent the first 28 years of her life ferrying passengers between Hyannis, MA, and Nantucket Island. The Great Point was unique for having three decks of passenger spaces, including a first-class cabin. Today, Great Point carries tourists on sightseeing tours on New York Harbor.

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