Bay Ferries CEO says it's 'full speed ahead' for 2018 season

Officials with Bay Ferries and the City of Portland are expressing confidence ferry service between Nova Scotia and Maine will continue in 2018.

Questions about the upcoming season started being raised when U.S. Customs and Border Protection said without upgrades to the Ocean Gateway Terminal in Portland, the agency would no longer provide clearance service.

City officials, meanwhile, have not indicated support for the estimated $7 million US in work, which would include a new office building, holding cells and equipment to read licence plates as cars get off the ferry.

• The Cat fast ferry will be back in 2018

On Wednesday, however, the CEO of Bay Ferries, which operates The Cat high-speed ferry, said he fully expects to be in business for 2018.

"Our business is, in all respects, full speed ahead," said Mark MacDonald.

"We will deal with this issue as we have to, but that's not holding anything back in terms of our preparations for our marketing programs for next year and our selling programs for next year."

Short-term fix

Part of that confidence seems to stem from a compromise presented by Customs and Border Protection that would see some work done in the short term with a commitment to do more work at a later date.

In an emailed statement Wednesday, a spokesperson for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the agency met earlier this month with representatives from Portland and "other impacted stakeholders" to provide detailed information on upgrades and changes required prior to the start of the 2018 ferry season.

"These changes are critical for passenger and officer safety and national security," Stephanie Malin said in the statement.

"If these changes are made and agreed to, CBP is committed to providing service for the Portland-Yarmouth ferry at the Ocean Gateway Terminal during the 2018 ferry season."

'A 2018 season is most likely'

The statement goes on to say that if Portland can produce a funded plan by Oct. 15, 2018, that would see the rest of the work done before the 2021 season, the agency would commit to providing clearance services for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

No one on Wednesday provided a cost outline of the short-term approach or what the work would include, however a spokesperson for Portland told Maine Public Radio earlier this week that customs officials were looking for work that would cost between $1.5 million US  and $2 million US and possibly include upgraded security cameras and the technology to read licence plates.

A spokesperson for Portland said in an email to CBC News on Wednesday that officials are "still working through some logistics, however a 2018 season is most likely."

During its second year operating the recently restored service, Bay Ferries saw an increase in passenger traffic, although those numbers were hampered by the loss of about a quarter of crossings due to engine malfunctions.

Work to repair the problems is happening now and is expected to be completed in time for the upcoming season.