EDITORIAL: The Bids For Maine–Nova Scotia Ferry Service

Back in January I reported that the Nova Scotian government was taking bids to restart-up the Maine-Nova Scotia ferry. The government is pitching in $3 million in the form of subsidies per year for the next 7 years to the winner.

While the bid process is confidential, it’s rumored that the companies bidding are as follows:

  • Quest Navigation of Maine
  • Maritime Applied Physics Corp of Baltimore, MD
  • International Shipping Partners of Miami
  • ST Marine of Singapore
  • P &O Ferries of the UK
  • Balearia Caribbean Ltd. of Spain (owners of the Ft. Lauderdale to Freeport Pinar del Rio)

 

Keep in mind some of these groups could go into it as a joint venture. Pretty standard for high risk projects in the maritime industry.

There is no deadline for bids and no word on when ferry service would start up, but it’s a safe bet that it would be seasonal and run April-November. My target date would be a commencement of service on April 2014.

via Seacoast online

via cruisebusiness