Water Transportation in and around Boston

www.wbur.org

MBTA sees 'tremendous' potential for additional ferry expansions

Over the past few years, the MBTA has expanded its ferry system with new boats and new destinations. Leaders say there's "a lot of untapped potential" for additional expansion.
www.wbur.org www.wbur.org
As the MBTA has focused on repairing its train system over the past few years, another part of the system has undergone a quiet expansion: ferries. "There's a lot of untapped potential," Dave Perry, the T's director of ferry operations, told WBUR's Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez last week, as officials celebrated a $1 million state grant from Gov. Maura Healey's administration to support a new route in Boston Harbor. While extending a subway line can take decades of planning and hundreds of millions of dollars, Perry said adding new ferry routes is relatively easy. "We don't need to lay down tracks," he said. "We don't need to lay down a whole signal system. It's all here. We need docks. We need boats. So, it's not nothing, but it can be done." T General Manager Phil Eng added he also thinks the potential for growth is "tremendous."
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Encouraging to see that the impact of splitting the Winthrop and Quincy ferries from one service into two led to a tripling of ridership. It goes to show that more useful service is a worthwhile investment.
 
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HenryAlan said:
Encouraging to see that the impact of splitting the Winthrop and Quincy ferries from one service into two led to a tripling of ridership. It goes to show that more useful service is a worthwhile investment.
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I don't think it's just splitting the routes, it's increasing the frequency too.

In Winthrop and Lynn, there's a middle-class population that could be priced out of a transit opportunity. That isn't as much of a consideration in Hingham. My employer subsidizes my boat tickets. Not everyone is that lucky.
 
It really doesn't hurt that there's been used boats available, which might prove to be a bottleneck - there really can't be that many Jones Act compliant small fast ferries on the secondhand market. RI Fast Ferry can't be doing well if they've already sold 2 of their 3 boats to the MBTA.

That said... perhaps the T might be able to build more just as an in-state stimulus thing, because the biggest domestic Incat Crowther licencee and builder is Gladding-Hearn in Fall River.
 
wicked said:
www.boston.gov

Mayor Wu and the City of Boston Celebrate New Commuter Ferry Connecting North Station to South Boston Waterfront

Mayor Michelle Wu today celebrated the opening of a new commuter ferry stop at Pier 10 in the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park. The new stop connects the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park in South Boston Waterfront to Fan Pier and North Station.
www.boston.gov www.boston.gov
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I'm confused by the choice of Pier 10 as the destination here. There is nothing around Pier 10 except for the design building, so this ferry will effectively service only people who work there and commute from the North Station area, which must be an absurdly small number to justify a ferry. If the ferry landed at Liberty Wharf instead, it would service both the design building and the wider seaport.
 
BronsonShore said:
I'm confused by the choice of Pier 10 as the destination here. There is nothing around Pier 10 except for the design building, so this ferry will effectively service only people who work there and commute from the North Station area, which must be an absurdly small number to justify a ferry. If the ferry landed at Liberty Wharf instead, it would service both the design building and the wider seaport.
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The city's press release isn't clear about this, but it's an expansion of the existing seaport ferry, which runs from Lovejoy Wharf to Fan Pier. The same boats will now make an additional stop at Pier 10, then turn back to Fan Pier and Lovejoy.

Here's the new schedule, showing how the service works: https://seaportferry.com/schedule/
 
HenryAlan said:
The city's press release isn't clear about this, but it's an expansion of the existing seaport ferry, which runs from Lovejoy Wharf to Fan Pier. The same boats will now make an additional stop at Pier 10, then turn back to Fan Pier and Lovejoy.

Here's the new schedule, showing how the service works: https://seaportferry.com/schedule/
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Ah, ok. Well that makes sense.

Given the lack of rail in the Seaport and the fact that ferry service is easy to implement, the MBTA would be wise to essentially treat the Seaport like an in-demand island. Additional service from Pier 6 Charlestown and Dorchester Bay City (when it's built out) might work.
 
BronsonShore said:
Given the lack of rail in the Seaport and the fact that ferry service is easy to implement, the MBTA would be wise to essentially treat the Seaport like an in-demand island. Additional service from Pier 6 Charlestown and Dorchester Bay City (when it's built out) might work.
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There are a lot of routes already using the harbor:
  • Hingham/Hull-Rowes/Long Wharves
  • Salem-Long Wharf (BHCC)
  • Lynn-Long Wharf
  • Winthrop-Central Wharf
  • Marina Bay-Central Wharf
  • Charlestown-Long Wharf
  • East Boston-Long Wharf
  • Lovejoy Wharf-Seaport-Pier 10 (MCCA)
  • East Boston-Seaport (MCCA)
  • East Boston-Seaport (ICA)
  • Provincetown-Boston (BHCC, Bay State)
  • Long Wharf-Everett (Encore)
That's in addition to the water taxis, recreational boating and LNG tankers going through the harbor. And I'm not including Black Falcon or Conley operations.

Dave Perry, who runs the T's ferries, knows his stuff, but to me it seems like there's already a lot of stuff coming in and out.
 
wicked said:
There are a lot of routes already using the harbor:
  • Hingham/Hull-Rowes/Long Wharves
  • Salem-Long Wharf (BHCC)
  • Lynn-Long Wharf
  • Winthrop-Central Wharf
  • Marina Bay-Central Wharf
  • Charlestown-Long Wharf
  • East Boston-Long Wharf
  • Lovejoy Wharf-Seaport-Pier 10 (MCCA)
  • East Boston-Seaport (MCCA)
  • East Boston-Seaport (ICA)
  • Provincetown-Boston (BHCC, Bay State)
  • Long Wharf-Everett (Encore)
That's in addition to the water taxis, recreational boating and LNG tankers going through the harbor. And I'm not including Black Falcon or Conley operations.

Dave Perry, who runs the T's ferries, knows his stuff, but to me it seems like there's already a lot of stuff coming in and out.
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Yes, I am aware that there are boats in the harbor. I am frequently on one.

But since my post referred to MBTA service to the Seaport specifically -- and specifically suggested two routes that you didn't list here -- I'm not sure how this is at all responsive to what I wrote.
 
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First survey of the new water transportation study has launched: https://mbta.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6YAcMHGkvWlb38i

Also from the email:
Join Us at Upcoming Events!
We want to hear from you, the riders and residents of the region, because you know your neighborhoods and the trips you make. As part of the study’s kickoff, join us at one of our in-person open houses, attend a virtual public meeting, or take our online survey!

Meetings will be in a variety of formats:
Open Houses – Drop by and chat with staff members about the study

Lynn, Blossom Street Pier, Tuesday, September 30, 4:00 - 7:00 PM

Quincy, Marina Bay/Squantum Point Park, Thursday, October 2, 4:00 - 7:00 PM

Salem, Commuter Rail Station, Tuesday, October 7, 4:00 - 7:00 PM

Gloucester, Commuter Rail Station, Wednesday, October 15, 4:00 - 7:00 PM

Chelsea, Bellingham Square, Wednesday, October 22, 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Everett, Everett Square, Wednesday, October 29, 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Virtual Community Meeting - Staff members will provide a presentation and answer questions

Wednesday, October 8, 6:30 - 8:00 PM

Outdoor events are weather-dependent and subject to change. Please check the project website for current information: mbta.com/watertransportationstudy
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Yeah the lack of any Boston locations is also kind of weird. Sure it's mostly commuters into the city, but Waterfront, Seaport, and Eastie seem like prime areas with lots of people who may want to weigh in here...
 
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Lyman-Morse of Thomaston, Maine, won the “value” bid over four others and will be paid $3 million to build and outfit three ferries, MEVA Transit Administrator Noah. S. Berger told WHAV.

Each ferry will accommodate 18 to 22 passengers and crew as well as two bicycles and/or scooters ...
“The boats will be a double pontoon catamaran, 33 feet in length,” Egan told WHAV, adding they will be equipped with two 150 horsepower electric outboard motors and have a cruising speed of 10 to 12 knots. While a single charge will last the entire trip from Haverhill to Newburyport, the boats will be outfitted with solar roof panels as a supplementary power source. Egan said each dock will be outfitted with a fast charger so the boats can be plugged in for a booster charge while passengers are embarking and disembarking. The decks will be flush to allow for easy access for those in wheelchairs or electric mobility scooters.

MeVa was able to negotiate three boats, additional batteries and a back-up propulsion system within the grant’s budget, Berger said.

One boat is expected be ready for demonstration trips next summer with full service starting in 2027. Berger said the timeline for launch depends on the readiness of docks in the three cities. Amesbury, for example, is in the process of upgrading its docks to handle ferries.

The proposed schedule, at least to start, calls for a single morning and evening boat trip weekdays to and from Haverhill and Newburyport via Amesbury. The boats will pass by Groveland, Merrimac, Salisbury and West Newbury. Ferries will also run several trips back and forth just between Amesbury and Newburyport during middays.
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