GROWTH OF THE HIGH SPEED FERRY INDUSTRY
The popularity of travel by fast ferry is growing at a speed that almost
rivals the pace of the new boats themselves. Throughout Europe there are
approximately 100 or more passenger/car ferries offering a fast, comfortable,
and even plush ride across the various straits and seas. Latin America, Asia and
the Middle East also have at least 40 such ferries in operation. Owing to a
renewed interest in marine technology, Australian and European companies have
made astonishing break-throughs in high performance vessels. The Spirit of
Ontario, most recently docked at Pier 17, is a five story catamaran that will
hold 774 passengers and 220 cars. It will be traversing Lake Ontario between
Rochester and Toronto at speeds in excess of 50 mph and will be the first car
and passenger fast ferry operating on the Great Lakes. The ship was built in
Mobile, Alabama by Austal USA. Another fast ferry is scheduled for delivery in
May 2004 and will carry people and vehicles across Lake Michigan between
Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan. Alaska has a ferry launching
scheduled for late spring, while companies in Hawaii, Cleveland, Erie,
Pennsylvania, Racine, Wisconsin and along the East and West coasts also weigh
their fast ferry prospects.
The high speed catamarans are expensive boats that require their routes to be
viable commercially. They must be able to draw passengers for reasons of
economics, convenience and comfort. The Spirit of Ontario, for example will
feature two movie theaters, duty-free shopping, a business computer center, a
restaurant and bar as well as a children’s play area. The crossing aboard the
high speed ferry will take about two hours and 15 minutes, while the road trip
would generally take 3 to 4 hours, not allowing for the recent time-consuming
backups at Canadian/American border crossings. Apart from the growing ferry
business, this high speed ferry shows promise of creating an economic boom for
the cities involved. The City of Rochester received grants to convert an old
warehouse into an attractive ferry terminal. It is hoped that the ferry will
encourage tourism in both cities and ease traffic tie-ups along Lake Ontario’s
heavily traveled western shore. The ferry and its supporting industries have
already created over 1,300 new jobs.
Regular passengers on SeaStreak, New York Waterways and New York Water Taxi,
as well as commuters in Boston, Key West, Florida, San Francisco, Los Angeles
and Seattle already understand the benefits of commuting by high speed ferry. As
we have seen in the past few years, the ferry routes are generating increased
numbers of passengers as congestion continues to increase on the roads and other
forms of mass transit. Interestingly, it has also been suggested that as the
Pentagon becomes more interested in high volume/high speed vessels, civilian
companies will be able to benefit from the advances in technology. Refinements
of the jet propulsion systems, aluminum hull designs and stabilization controls
will boost velocity while maintaining a smooth ride and eliminating seasickness
(hopefully).
The Port Authority recently signed a construction contract for a new floating
ferry terminal in Battery Park City, near the New York Mercantile Exchange and
the World Financial Center. The completion of this terminal will mean expanded
service to additional points in New Jersey. The new ferry terminal has been
designed to maintain the aesthetically pleasing quality inherent to ferry
service showcasing a fabric roof that will glow at night and be reminiscent of
canvas sails.
The congestion at Pier 11 and the addition of docking slips at the
neighboring pier is a sure sign of rapid growth in the ferry industry in our
area. Our hope will continue to be that the ferry companies maintain the high
level of service that first induced us to travel by water.
