The CEO of Bay Ferries Limited fully expects the CAT ferry will stay the course this season and continue to sail between Yarmouth and Portland.
There is a dispute between the City of Portland and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection says Portland’s international ferry terminal does not meet federal standards so it will no longer provide entry and exit customs screening at the Gateway Ocean Terminal in 2018.
But Mark McDonald says discussions continue with all the interested parties including the company.
He says it’s a complicated issue that they’re working through but it’s also part of doing business.
“It’s the kind of issue that we frequently have to work through in this business and I’m not referring only to Customs and Border Protection issues but we encounter significant regulatory issues of various sorts at all times.”
McDonald says the company has also been speaking with the city of Bar Harbour.
He says Bay Ferries is trying to identify the model of ferry service which stands the best long-term chance of sustainable success.
McDonald says they continue to give Bar Harbour consideration but he foresees operating the high-speed ferry between Yarmouth and Portland for the upcoming season.
