Changes to Ferry Schedules

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Oct. 21, 2010
CONTACT: Lucy Wallace, (252) 473-3461

UPDATE: SOME RUNS SUSPENDED AT SWAN QUARTER, CEDAR ISLAND AND OCRACOKE FERRY ROUTES
Repairs to MV Pamlico could take 7-10 days; new schedule will be put in place beginning Friday

MANNS HARBOR — The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division announced this week that several runs on the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke and Cedar Island-Ocracoke routes would be suspended for several days while repairs are made to the Motor Vessel Pamlico. After examining the ferry in the shipyard, it has been determined that extensive repairs are needed in the ship’s bulkhead, stern section, aft of the engine room.

It will take approximately 7-10 days to repair and have it inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard before the vessel will be ready for service. Shipyard employees will be working seven days a week to facilitate the repairs as quickly as possible. In the meantime, the three other Sound Class vessels, MV Carteret, MV Cedar Island and MV Silver Lake are continuing to make daily departures at these routes. The Ferry Division analyzed traffic figures to determine the routes with the highest traffic volume and has developed an alternate schedule for these routes beginning Friday, Oct. 22, 2010, until the winter schedule takes effect Nov. 2.

The following runs will continue as scheduled until Friday:
The 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30 runs from Ocracoke to Cedar Island;
The 7 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30 runs from Cedar Island to Ocracoke;
The 6:30 a.m., 9:30 and 4:30 p.m. runs from Ocracoke to Swan Quarter; and
The 7 a.m., 9:30 and 12:30 p.m. runs from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke.

The following runs have been suspended until Friday:
The 7 a.m. run from Ocracoke to Cedar Island;
The 9:30 a.m. run from Cedar Island to Ocracoke;
The noon run from Ocracoke to Swan Quarter; and
The 5 p.m. run from Swan Quarter to Ocracoke.

Beginning Friday, the schedule will be as follows:
From Cedar Island to Ocracoke departing at 7 a.m., 9:30, 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30;
From Ocracoke to Cedar Island departing at 7 a.m., 10, 12:30 p.m., 3:30, 6 and 8:30;
From Ocracoke to Swan Quarter departing at 6:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and
From Swan Quarter to Ocracoke departing at 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Travelers with reservations for any of the suspended runs during this time period should call the reservations center at 1-800-BY-FERRY (293-3779) and press 2 to make alternative arrangements. These routes normally return to a reduced number of departures for the winter months, which will take place beginning Nov. 2. The winter schedule can be found at the ferry website at www.ncferry.org in PDF form.

The MV Pamlico was built in 1965, as was the MV Silver Lake. Both Sound Class ferries have 45 years of service within the Ferry Division’s fleet. Just recently, the N.C. Dept. of Transportation awarded a $14.9 million contract to Orange Shipbuilding Co. in Orange, Texas, to build a second Sound Class ferry with funding provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A $13 million contract was awarded last year for the first of these two “sister” vessels, which will be completed in the summer of 2011.

***NCDOT***