Just one week after widespread mechanical problems disrupted Bermuda’s ferry service, new concerns have emerged over the future reliability of the island’s passenger ferry fleet.
Last week’s mechanical issues left much of the ferry service operating at reduced capacity, causing delays and cancellations on several routes, including Harbour Nights and evening services between Hamilton and Dockyard. While those vessels have since returned to service, workers familiar with ferry operations say another issue may leave the Department of Marine & Ports with even fewer options should another breakdown occur.
According to a reliable source who works within the ferry service, the department has sold one of its older fast ferries, the JL Cecil, and plans to sell a second vessel, the War Baby Fox. The source questioned whether the fleet will have adequate backup should one or more of the newer ferries experience mechanical failures.
“If both of the new ferries go down at the same time, there won’t be enough backup,” the source said. “Runs will be missed, boats will be cancelled, and the impact will fall on the everyday commuter.”
The source noted that the JL Cecil previously carried approximately 400 passengers without bicycles and around 350 passengers when bicycles were onboard. Losing both older vessels, they argued, significantly reduces the department’s emergency capacity.
The concern comes at the height of Bermuda’s tourism season, when ferry demand is at its highest.
According to the source, when larger ferries are taken out of service, smaller vessels are often reassigned to cover multiple routes, resulting in delays and overcrowding.
“The smaller boats simply don’t have the capacity,” the source explained. “The new boats were purchased to move more people, but when they’re unavailable, the smallest boats end up doing the majority of the work.”
The source also raised concerns about repairs to the newer ferries, claiming that significant warranty-related mechanical issues require overseas technicians to travel to Bermuda before major repairs can be completed.
“If it’s a serious issue, local mechanics can’t always fix it because of warranty restrictions,” the source said. “You have to wait for technicians to come from overseas, and that could take several days.”
One worker with over forty years of service believes at least one of the older ferries should have been retained as a permanent reserve vessel, or alternatively, that the government should have expanded the fleet with a third new ferry rather than reducing the number of available backup boats.
“If they wanted to sell one, they should have kept the other as a backup,” the source said. “Every route should have a contingency plan.”
The concerns follow last week’s service disruption, which exposed how quickly ferry operations can be affected when multiple vessels experience mechanical problems simultaneously.
Marine workers warn that if a similar situation occurs now, with fewer reserve vessels available, both residents and visitors could face longer waits, reduced service, and cancelled sailings.
The Department of Marine & Ports has since restored the affected ferries to service.
Our news team sought a response from the Minister responsible for Marine & Ports regarding the reported sale of the older ferries and concerns raised by workers. The Minister’s response is posted below.
•“In recent days, the Department of Marine & Ports Services has experienced a number of fleet maintenance challenges, including mechanical issues affecting several vessels.
These matters were addressed with urgency, and we are pleased to advise that the necessary repairs have now been completed. The full complement of vessels required to deliver an uninterrupted ferry service has been restored, and the ferry schedule is operating as planned.
We appreciate the public’s patience and remain focused on strengthening the resilience and reliability of Bermuda’s marine transportation system.”
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