Last summer, Sagamore Ventures acquired a 100 percent share of Harbor Boating, Inc., the company contracted to provide Water Taxi services to the residents and visitors of Baltimore. Because of the acquisition, the Baltimore Water Taxi can expand its operations including additional routes, extended commuter hours and an increase in the number of stops. The team is currently planning for new stops in Port Covington and Cherry Hill, marking the first time that Cherry Hill and Westport will have direct public access and connectivity to the Inner Harbor.
Included in the expansion is a fleet of new, state-of-the-art boats built right in Baltimore City. When looking for a partner to design a never-before-seen, custom boat, Sagamore Ventures met with firms from all over the world. It was quickly discovered that the vision for a Maryland-proud vessel would be best executed in our backyard. The first of ten new boats was built by the Maritime Applied Physics Corporation (MAPC), a maritime design and manufacturing company located near the South Baltimore neighborhood of Brooklyn. The 55-foot ADA-compliant, bike-friendly vessels are modeled on the classic Chesapeake Bay deadrise boat, featuring an electric/hybrid diesel engine with 1/20th of the carbon footprint of the current fleet.
The first boat is named Key’s Anthem; paying homage to the poet Francis Scott Key who wrote his celebrated poem, The Star-Spangled Banner, in Baltimore during the War of 1812, which later became the United States national anthem. Four additional boats will hit the water throughout 2017.
Sagamore Ventures’ acquisition of the Baltimore Water Taxi brings more than just new boats; now jobs are also in tow. To build the new fleet of vessels, MAPC has hired nearly 30 new welders and craftsman. To accommodate the route expansions and new boats, the Baltimore Water Taxi aims to hire for many seasonal and permanent positions, including deckhand and captains. For more information on available job opportunities, visit www.watertaxijobs.com.
