Bay Ferries, the operator of The Cat, announced on Friday, June 7th that there would be a delay in the intended start date for the Yarmouth-Bar Harbor ferry service.


It is now anticipated that the earliest date on which any service could commence is in the mid-summer. At this time, all reservations prior to July 7, 2019, will be cancelled and passengers will be re-routed, subject to customer wishes, to MV Fundy Rose. Progress will be continually assessed and the company will communicate directly with its customers and the public once further parameters are known.

Delays have arisen for a combination of reasons, most significantly the complexity of the construction and approvals process associated with the renovation of the Bar Harbor ferry terminal. Other contributing factors include the uniqueness of the project, the need to complete it in an accelerated time frame, US Government shutdown (December 2018/January 2019), delays in the terminal land transfer process, and various other factors.

All parties continue to work hard to expedite the processes and construction as much as circumstances allow. There are three general components to the construction program:
1. Marine-side work which comprises various repairs and updates to the offshore marine infrastructure and movement of the ferry ramp from Portland to Bar Harbor.
2. Interior renovations to the existing ferry terminal building for use by passengers and US Customs and Border Protection.
3. Renovation to the exterior land-side facilities.

The latter two components are where delays have occurred.

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