Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina Launched MBTA Ferry Terminal Barges

[By Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina ]

In their first operation of the new year, Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina (BHSM) completed a multi-barge roll-on operation using the 500-ton floating dry dock, "Providence.”

The barges were constructed by Blue Atlantic Fabricators, a tenant of BHSM and the only AISC Certified facility on the East Coast with direct headwall access for water transportation. Measuring 115’ by 30’ and approximately 120 tons each, the barges were fabricated to serve as docks at the Mass Bay Transportation Authority’s ferry terminal at the Hingham shipyard. Blue Atlantic was awarded the project in February 2025, and completed the first two of three docks in November 2025. The docks are going to “improve rider experience,” said Michael Julian, General Manager of Blue Atlantic Fabricators, “and bring them into compliance with updated accessibility standards.”

Once completed, the barges were rolled directly from the Blue Atlantic fabrication shop onto the dry dock using self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) supplied and operated by Bay Crane Northeast. The dry dock had been matted with a runway and secured into place with the help of ACK Marine, another BHSM tenant. Once the transporters cleared the dock, the dry dock was submerged in a controlled operation, allowing each barge to float free. “The fact that the dry dock can sink to over 12 feet,” said Myles Murphy, Dry Dock Manager at BHSM, “allowed us to be able to block the barge high enough for the SPMTs to safely egress from the pontoon deck with room to spare.”

Massachusetts continues to invest heavily in water transportation on new and existing facility infrastructure. The central location in East Boston was important to the viability of the project. “When we first commissioned the dry dock, we never imagined it would be used in such a unique way that would impact thousands of commuters daily,” said Murphy, “our engineering collaboration and great teamwork with our tenants has proved that this is not only a safe and effective launching method, but is also repeatable.”

This operation was made possible through close collaboration between Boston Harbor Shipyard & Marina, Blue Atlantic Fabricators, Bay Crane, ACK Marine, A. Waller Associates, and JMS Naval Architects, whose engineering support ensured the dock, load paths, ballast plan, and sequencing were executed safely and efficiently. It was a “well thought-out and calculated engineering plan,” said Julian, “to assure a safe, reliable, and repeatable operation.”

“This is a great example of what can be achieved when shipbuilders, heavy-lift specialists, naval architects, and shipyard operators work as one team,” said Murphy, “I am very proud of the group effort.”