The Wharf, a mixed-use waterfront neighborhood in Washington, DC, celebrated its kickoff celebration October 12-15. With the opening of this new waterfront destination, Potomac Riverboat Company began offering a new water taxi service between the Wharf, Georgetown, and Old Town Alexandria. To serve that new route, two 88 foot, 149-passenger high speed aluminum catamaran vessels Potomac Taxi I and Potomac Taxi II were built. Metal Shark Delivers Potomac Taxi I & II from Metal Shark Boats on Vimeo. The vessels were built by Louisiana-based shipbuilder Metal Shark for Entertainment Cruises’ Potomac Riverboat Company division. Both vessels commenced operations on Thursday, October 12 for the grand opening ceremony of the Wharf. The boats departed Metal Shark’s Franklin, LA, shipyard in mid-September, traveled the Gulf of Mexico coastline, and crossed Florida via Lake Okeechobee before proceeding northward up the Atlantic coast to Washington, D.C. Powered by twin Scania DI13 081M diesel engines delivering 500 HP at 1800 RPM, the USCG Subchapter T vessels were designed by BMT Designers and Planners and BMT Nigel Gee, and feature an environmentally friendly low wake / low wash hull design. “From the start, the Metal Shark team has been professional, organized, diligent, and skilled. They have done an excellent job of communicating with our team and working together to keep the project on track,” said Entertainment Cruises CEO Kenneth Svendsen. “We have been pleased with the workmanship and attention to detail by all involved. Above all else, we can tell Metal Shark has a commitment to process and to doing things the right way.” The first two passenger vessels built by Metal Shark were completed in six months. Photo courtesy Metal Shark Scott Smith, VP of Marine Operations for Entertainment Cruises added, “We have a fantastic partnership and working relationship with Metal Shark, and have experienced a very smooth process to build a wonderful product.” “It has been an honor as well as a great pleasure to build these boats for Potomac Riverboat Company and Entertainment Cruises,” said Chris Allard, CEO of Metal Shark. “They have been incredible to work with, and we look forward to supporting them with additional on-time deliveries in 2018.” “We commenced construction on these vessels in March and completed them in six months,” said Carl Wegener, Metal Shark’s Director of Commercial Sales. “Metal Shark continues to build on its hard-earned reputation as an industry leader in the rapid, high quality, serialized construction of passenger vessels.”