A proven ferry platform

Switch Maritime develops, builds, and leases hydrogen fuel cell vessels to ferry operators. We manage the entire process — vessel design and construction, hydrogen fuel supply chain, regulatory approvals, crew training, and ongoing operational support — so operators can modernize their fleets without taking on the complexity themselves.

Hydrogen fuel cell vessels use the same electric propulsion as conventional battery-electric ferries, but powered by hydrogen instead of grid charging. Hydrogen is converted to electricity onboard via fuel cells, powering electric motors with water vapor as the only byproduct. The result is diesel-level performance — same speed, same fueling cadence, same crew — with no GHG emissions from the tailpipe.

Every Switch project includes a hydrogen fuel supply chain built around your port, your routes, and what's available in your region. We coordinate hydrogen procurement, selecting the most cost-effective and lowest-emission source for your location, and manage transport, permitting, and transfer to vessels.

It means the vessel platform is designed and progressing toward shipyard selection and construction. Switch vessels in development have confirmed specifications and are being actively advanced — they are not concept-stage projects. Operators can engage with Switch now to align on routes, timelines, and lease terms ahead of delivery.

Hydrogen fuel cell ferries are designed to slot directly into existing diesel-based ferry operations — same schedule, same fleet size, same crew to manage. Operationally, they perform on par with diesel in speed and fueling cadence. The key differences: no exhaust, dramatically lower emissions, quieter ride, and no exposure to diesel fuel price volatility. An independent analysis found hydrogen cost-competitive and reaching parity with diesel by year 15, with the lowest total emissions of any propulsion option.

Hydrogen ferries perform best on defined, repeatable routes — commuter corridors, island crossings, and harbor services where vessel range and fueling infrastructure can be planned around a consistent schedule.

Switch's vessel platforms are each designed with specific route profiles in mind, so the right fit depends on your operation.

• Sea Change is suited for short-to-medium range commuter routes, harbor and bay services, and high-frequency urban ferry networks — ideal for operators running regular, predictable schedules in coastal or bay environments.

• SWITCH-150 is built for high-frequency urban commuter routes and longer inter-borough or harbor crossings — designed to handle the demands of dense waterway networks with higher passenger capacity.

• SWITCH-300 extends hydrogen's reach to long-haul, high-speed commuter routes, regional passenger services, and leisure and tourism crossings — bringing low emission propulsion to routes that previously had no viable alternative.

• SWITCH-RoPax is designed for vehicle and passenger ferry routes, including island and coastal crossings and longer-range state and regional DOT ferry services — bringing a proven international platform to US waters for the first time.

Switch is the only US company to have successfully developed, permitted, and operationalized a hydrogen-powered maritime vessel — earning the first-ever USCG Certificate of Inspection for a hydrogen fuel cell electric ferry. Every vessel is designed to meet or exceed the same safety standards as conventional ferries, and Switch manages all regulatory approvals and compliance as part of its end-to-end service.