The new Molinari ferry has room for 4,400 passengers (Photo: Staten Island Advance/Michael McWeeney)

For a boat built in Wisconsin, the latest addition to the Staten Island Ferry fleet is a New York kind of vessel. The Guy V. Molinari, which joined the eight-vessel fleet in Staten Island on September 27, has all the latest bells and whistles, not to mention that one-of-a-kind, classic orange -- the fun-yet-practical color that makes it the most recognizable ship around, even on foggy mornings.

The Molinari is the first of three new $40-million boats joining the fleet, replacing three Kennedy-class vessels that have served Staten Islanders for 40 years. What they can expect for the "next wave" may not change the 18-miles-per-hr pace through the harbor, but the ride itself should become a little more interesting.

To start, the Molinari will be home to its own arts installation, entitled "The Middle of the World" and crafted by Berlin artist Werner Klotz. Commissioned by the city's Percent for Arts Program, riders will be able to peek through a portal on the bridge deck to view a video of the ocean floor. They can also listen to 101 different "tales of the sea" -- a different one for every trip the boat makes across the harbor in a week.

Twice as much outdoor space on the new boat, along with an elevator to get more riders to it, will give commuters and tourists more ways to take in views of the Statue of Liberty, Governors Island, and the two soon-to-be-refurbished ferry terminals at both ends of the five-mile route.

Ferry crew and captains also will enjoy the new ride, thanks to a new steering control system that makes the 3,200-gross-ton ship more maneuverable. The three diesel electric engines, which total 9,000 horsepower, promise lower emissions and better fuel efficiency. Radar, collision avoidance, communications, a global positioning system, and a pilot house that can control all onboard systems mean safer, on-time performance.

Built by the Manitowoc Marine Group in Marinette, Wisconsin, the Molinari arrived at the St. George Ferry Terminal in Staten Island on September 26 after traveling through the Great Lakes, past Detroit, Montreal, Quebec City, and down the Atlantic coast.

Mayor Bloomberg welcomes the new Molinari ferry to the fleet

Also on hand at the dedication ceremony was the man himself, Guy Molinari, a former state assemblyman, U.S. congressman, and Staten Island Borough president from 1990 to 2001.

"If you spend more than two decades of public service on Staten Island, there is no greater honor you can receive than having a Staten Island Ferry boat bear your name," said Molinari.

It is believed that the Molinari is the first ferry boat to be named after a living person -- a deserving honor, according to Mayor Bloomberg.

"The boat is named for a tireless public servant and Staten Island's favorite son, and I am sure the Molinari will be just as much of a workhorse for the people of Staten Island as Guy has been," said Mayor Bloomberg. "The ferry that bears his name is the first of three new boats that are equipped with the latest technology and are the safest and most comfortable boats in the history of the fleet."

Over the next few months, the Molinari will get the final touches before actively joining the fleet, while crews are trained to operate the boat's new features and the Coast Guard certifies it for public use.

The Sen. John J. Marchi is one of three new ferries on the way (Photo: Kimberlee Hewitt)

The three new ferry boats are the 25th, 26th, and 27th to join the fleet since it began formally in 1905. Carrying more than 65,000 passengers daily, the Staten Island ferry boats make more than 33,000 trips every year. The service runs 24 hours a day and is the best mass-transit and sightseeing bargain in town since it became free in 1997.

For more history on the Staten Island Ferry, please click here. More information about the service can be found in LowerManhattan.info's Get There & Get Around page and at the Department of Transportation's website.