Start-up of Yarmouth/Bar Harbor Ferry Service

February 21, 2020

Bay Ferries Limited is pleased to announce the planned start date for Nova Scotia-Maine ferry service is June 26, 2020. Sale of tickets will commence immediately.

Service will consist of one daily round trip (departing Yarmouth at 09:30 local time and departing Bar Harbor at 15:00 local time) until after Labour Day when there will be six crossings per week until the scheduled season end on October 13, 2020. The 2020 operating schedule is available here.

Throughout the fall and winter of 2019/2020, Bay Ferries has worked closely with United States Customs and Border Protection (“USCBP”) in the continuation of approval processes and in ongoing construction at the Bar Harbor ferry terminal. Bay Ferries believes that the remaining work can be completed in accordance with a project plan developed in collaboration with all contractors and USCBP.

Rebuilding the marine facilities at Bar Harbor was completed in 2019 and significant work was completed on shore side facilities. Remaining work on the shore side USCBP facility includes the following:

• Completion of the exterior primary inspection canopy area and installation of officers’ booths and various inspection equipment;
• Completion of exterior secondary inspection and outbound inspection areas;
• Some site preparation work including completion of paving and installation of fencing and other security measures; and
• Completion of interior fit out of the terminal building itself and installation of the equipment and fittings necessary for USCBP to operate the border facility.

Depending on construction progress at the Bar Harbor terminal, and other operational preparations, the start date could be moved to an earlier date, in which case a further announcement will be forthcoming. At this stage, tickets will only be sold for sailings commencing June 26, 2020. In the event of any unexpected delay beyond this date caused by unforeseen circumstances, customers will be advised immediately.

The redesign and reconstruction of the Bar Harbor facility has been challenging due to the limited land and building footprint available. Bay Ferries is very grateful for the collaboration of USCBP, the Town of Bar Harbor, and our various contractors and suppliers for their assistance and cooperation in moving this project to completion.

Mark MacDonald, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Bay Ferries Limited, stated “Our Company and our employees are excited to be returning ferry service to Bar Harbor. We are grateful for the continued strong support and patience of customers, community partners, and governments as this project has moved toward completion. We look forward to building the market for this very important service and moving people between Maine and Nova Scotia for many years to come.”

Please refer to our website for additional details and click here for promotional offers.

For further information, contact Rhonda Latter at [email protected].