Proven. Project and Operational Experience

A History of High Performance and Legendary Vision

Based in San Francisco, PROP SF was founded in 2015 by veteran maritime sports innovator and entrepreneur, James Jaber. Its primary mission was to develop a fleet of public/private commuter ferries that would connect people in areas underserved by the larger ferry system to workplace hubs and communities throughout the Bay Area. Helping to improve local air quality and offer relief from burgeoning roadway congestion were the underlying goals that helped propel the company’s popularity among employers and commuters alike.

From vessel design and development to operations and management, PROP SF has established itself as a premier operator of high-speed, highly maneuverable passenger craft. Its high profile fleet of jet-propelled vessels has been celebrated as a welcomed innovation in the local public/private transit communities. With operations on both the San Francisco Bay and its newest service on Puget Sound in 2023, PROP SF continues to offer its unique brand of waterborne transportation while helping to lead the way in engaging new cost-effective, energy-efficient clean technologies.

Since our founding, PROP SF has not only revolutionized the small, fast ferry concept but has achieved a remarkable history of notable accomplishments.

Launch of the Vision

First in the fleet came F/V Transistor, a 36-passenger all aluminum catamaran powered by four powerful Mercury Verado outboards delivering a combined 1400 horsepower and generating speeds up to 40 knots. Carefully designed and painstakingly constructed overlooking no detail, its high back bucket seats and lightweight multihull design provided ultimate performance while providing passengers with safe, fast and comfortable commuter transportation. It was the first of its kind in the local market and set the standard for expansion of the small, fast ferry concept.

Concept Development | New Vessel Design and Build | Project completion

Working with a large corporate employer, PROP SF was tasked with the goal of creating a high-speed waterborne commuter transportation system to ferry employees from destinations throughout the Bay Area to a core campus complex in South San Francisco.

PROP SF and its designer/engineers worked with naval architects, and systems engineers to build three identical sister ships. Powered by high performance, fuel efficient twin 800hp Scania diesel engines with Hamilton Jet propulsion, these 48-passenger ferry vessels expanded on the design and comfort of Transistor to include an elevated pilothouse, twin wing docking stations and the most state of the art safety and navigation equipment available. 

After working closely with USCG Inspectors on design/certification, PROP SF then focussed on creating an operations and training plan to maximize underway efficiency while delivering unparalleled safety, reliability and on time “up time” for its passengers. As of this publication PROP SF enjoyes a legendary 98% uptime ratio.

And in 2017, residents and mariners of the San Francisco Bay Area began seeing the PROP SF fleet darting expertly about the bay at a standard cruising speed of 30 knots covering more nautical miles than any other maritime transport operation including its unprecedented South San Francisco to Benicia run which cut a typical 2 hour and unreliable roadway commute down to 55 minutes over water.

Expanding Speed and Ridership Capacity

Soon after, PROP SF expanded its fleet with the acquisition of vessel Billie J. Built by renowned  Washington state shipbuilders All American Marine, this 70-passenger ferry is powered by four powerful, fuel efficient Caterpillar engines with four Hamilton Jet drives delivering the ultimate passenger comfort and stability at a cruising speed of nearly 40 knots.

Going Where No Ferry Treads to Go

After 4 years of planning, permit processing, feasibility and execution, PROP SF was instrumental in the design and development of a new docking terminal providing commuter transport to the east bay city of San Leandro. Due to excessive silting and deferred maintenance, the marina at this site had fallen into disrepair and was not viable at the time as a destination site for PROP SF’s expansion plan. Recognizing it as an ideal site connecting the employer hub across the bay with its employees, PROP SF, working with its corporate partners, developer partner and city/county officials, and 12 permitting agencies helped navigate through the red tape to secure the site and construct a safe, modern docking facility much to the delight of its commuting passengers.

A Fabled Island is Opened for Business

Treasure Island, built for the World’s Fair in 1936, has enjoyed a long fabled history in San Francisco from the Pan Am clipper planes of the post World War II era to military housing and recreational boating. It remained virtually undeveloped and under-utilized until 2019 when a long held vision for its renaissance was realized and ground was broken on an aggressive new business and residential development.

San Francisco city planners and the islands forward thinking developers recognized the need to provide new residents and visitors with a fast ferry transit method connecting the island to the city waterfront. PROP SF was part of the discussion for this vision from the onset and, after years of review and careful planning, was chosen over other top ferry operators to launch this service aboard its 48-passenger vessel, Sammy J. A modern dock facility was designed and built providing the necessary infrastructure to safely board passengers and the service, which provides up to 17 round trips, seven days a week was formally launched in the spring of 2022.

Looking Light Years Ahead in the Here and Now

Having long established itself as a premier provider of safe, high-speed small craft passenger transportation, PROP SF is taking enormous strides toward the future in its goal of electrifying its fleet. Increased public concern over climate change, along with tightening state, local and federal regulations has lent itself to the need for high-performance, zero emission maritime transit for commuters. With an eye toward this demand, PROP SF has helped to lead the way in research and development while engaging in strategic partnerships to make this dream a reality, not only on the west coast but in busy port cities throughout the United States.