Interlake Acquires Two Great Lakes Vessels
Interlake Holding Company announced today the purchase of the assets of Pere Marquette Shipping Company and Lake Michigan Car Ferry Company in an acquisition that includes two working Great Lakes vessels, the articulated tug-barge Undaunted-Pere Marquette 41 and the historic passenger-and-car ferry S.S. Badger.The acquisition signals the creation of a new business entity, Interlake Maritime Services, which will manage the new businesses along with The Interlake Steamship Company…
The McAllister Towing Legacy
In 1864 Abraham Lincoln was president, and the U.S. was embroiled in the midst of civil war. In 1864, McAllister Towing was established (originally as the Greenpoint Lighterage Co.) in New York City. McAllister Towing has persevered, and at times, served, through nine wars, 28 presidents, at least three catastrophic stock market crashes; collapsing oil prices, generations of advances in ship technology and vessel construction and design; and an explosion in maritime regulation.
Irish Ferries Launches Dublin-Cherbourg Ferry Route
A new direct passenger car ferry service linking Dublin with the French port of Cherbourg is being introduced by Irish Ferries with the first sailing departing from Dublin on January 18. The once-weekly, year-round service – which the company’s head of passenger sales Dermot Merrigan said “will bring the European motorways directly into the heart of our capital city” – will depart from Dublin every Saturday (15.30) arriving into Cherbourg next morning (11.30). Return sailings will depart Cherbourg each Sunday (17.00) with early arrival back in Dublin on Monday morning (11.00).
New Ferry Service Mulled
The Iceland Steamship Company Ltd. (Eimskip) Iceland's largest shipping company, is considering starting a passenger and car ferry service between Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Denmark and Scotland next summer.
Washington’s Ferry Plan Calls for $400M
State ferry authorities say population and job growth in the central Puget Sound area are expected to reverse a recent trend and increase ridership on their vessels by 70 percent over the next 25 years and require spending an additional $400m on new boats. Now the state will have to figure out how to pay for that expansion. The number of fares sold on Washington State Ferries totaled just under 24 million last year, down about 10 percent from 2000, according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. But population growth in Kitsap and Island counties is expected to outstrip the number of new jobs, whereas in King County the reverse will be true. This means that more people will commute from the west side of the Sound to the Seattle area to work.
After Crash, Ferry Service Restored
Red Funnel's East Cowes - Southampton service was back to normal on March 14, after its Red Falcon car ferry crashed into the mainland dock on March 10, injuring nine people. The company announced its normal two-boat service for the time of year had been restored, although it was operating from a different berth. Until repairs can be made to the damaged linkspan, Red Funnel expects to be running the car ferry service from 25 berth, accessible through dock gate four at Southampton's Eastern Docks. The Hi-Speed service between Cowes and Southampton is unaffected and operating normally. Meanwhile, the master and mate of Red Falcon have been suspended.
