Bay Ferries could be eyeing U.S. Navy-owned vessel for route

DC: …A Feb. 4 report by the Associated Press says U.S. Sen. Angus King, and Rep. Chellie Pingree– at the request of the Portland (Maine) mayor ­– held a conference call in December with the Navy about the possible acquisition of a vessel.

Willy Ritch, spokesman for the congresswoman, told the Tri-County Vanguard Feb. 5 that, while he cannot comment on a specific vessel, it would make sense for a surplus vessel belonging to the navy to be leased to an operator so the service could run in 2016.

“It would be a win for everybody,” he said.

“I think the navy has transports… they come to acquire vessels that in many cases have been previously used as commercial ferries.” …

Included in the U.S. navy’s inventory is the USNS Puerto Rico, a high-speed transport vessel, purchased in May 2012 for $25-million. The 106-metre ship was built in September 2008. The Local Xpress reports the Puerto Rico is the ship being considered by Bay Ferries.

The ship was previously owned by Hawaii Superferry, a company that went belly up in 2009. In 2010, she and her sister ship Huakai helped in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake….

In a media release Feb. 4, Bay Ferries’ chief executive operator Mark MacDonald said, because the company is competing for ferry assets worldwide, Bay Ferries is limited in what it can say on the status of its search for a ship. All the company has said is it is working hard to secure a ship….

read … Bye Bye Superferry

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