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FERRY OPERATIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
By
Mike Vaughn
The last few years have seen a resurgence in the use of ferry transportation. New routes are being
created to by-pass crowded highways and delivery people and vehicles to population centers.
Many state highway operations, which were reducing ferry operations during the 1960’s and 70’s,
have begun to accept the expense of such operations as one more source of providing adequate
ways of meeting transportation needs.
There are a wide variety of types of ferries. Generally speaking a ferry is any vessel that makes a
voyage between two or more fixed points on a scheduled basis. The ferries themselves range
from small 20 or 30 person flat barges to very large, ocean-going ships.
We generally divide the subject into a few distinguishable categories:
1. Passenger Ferries
2. Vehicle/passenger ferries
3. Night passenger ferries
4. Night vehicle/passenger ferries.
The difference between a vessel designated as a night ferry is that it will ordinarily have some
type of sleeping quarters for the passengers. These quarters may range from large chairs or
sleeping couches to full cabins with all amenities of a cruise ship.
Sizes may range from as small as 30 feet to more than 600 feet in length.
FAST VS. SLOW FERRIES
Speed has always been the dream of some, but not all ferry operations. With the development of
high speed ferries the dream has to some extent come true.
High speed ferries are usually catamarans driven by jet drives reaching cruise speeds in the mid-30 knots. Mono-hull ferries now are also reaching the 30 knot range. However, speed is a
function of power to weight and sea conditions.
The fact that a vessel may reach 35 knots does not mean that it will operate efficiently at that
speed in all sea conditions.
Typically in the United States catamaran ferries now operate in the 25 kt to 35 kt range. The
sizes vary from 49 passengers to500 plus passengers. Aluminum has been the material of choice
due to the ease of fabrication and the weight saving that it allows. Today a catamaran ferry in
the 350 to 450 passenger size will cost from five million to ten million dollars depending upon
the speed and accommodations as well as other design features.
The fuel consumption of a high-speed ferry also contributes to the comparatively high cost of
operation. However, the speed of the ferry is directly proportionate to the percentage of the
market it may capture. It is very important to have a careful study done of the proposed route and
market prior to deciding upon the type of ferry needed.
Slow ferries are generally considered to be vessels operating at less than 18 knots. Generally,
what we consider to be slow may be very adequate for the market. Slow ferries typically carry
very large numbers of passengers on each trip. Where a 130’ fast catamaran may carry 300 to
400 passengers, a slow ferry of an equal length may carry 700 to 900 passengers and consume
only a fraction of the fuel that the fast ferry will require.
A trend in the last year has been to place slow ferries more in the “cruise business” by selling not
just the destination but also the cruise itself. The slow vessel competes not on speed but on the
experience of the trip. This has been reasonably successful in areas were tourists visit more for
the scenery that just to get across the distance.
Each type of vessel has unique and marketable qualities. However, a great deal of thought must
be applied to determine which will best serve the market.
Next month we will discuss ocean going ferries and how that are affecting the world market.
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