JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It was on the shelf for three weeks for maintenance and in the same week that the St. Johns River Ferry returned to service, the company that runs the ferry filed for bankruptcy.
However, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority says that there are no plans to alter ferry service, in fact, they hope to expand their fleet.
The reason why this is possible is the difference between types of bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is when a company sells their assets because they're going out of business. Hornblower Group is the company that operates the St. Johns River Ferry and they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which is more of a restructuring to get their finances in order. Hornblower Group says service won't change on the St. Johns River.
On a typical day a steady stream of cars line up in Mayport Village and wait their turn to board after cars from Fort George Island disembark from the St. Johns River Ferry. But that wait might be lessened in the coming years after JTA announced a proposed second ferry to its fleet.
"I like to arrive on time, so this would be really convenient to have a 2-way street of sorts, I think the wait would be less and you could make your ETA, I'm all in," said Linda Cassano, who said she uses the ferry about once a month.
According to a section of JTA's website about future projects, the proposed second ferry would be of similar size to the current ferry. More information about the project can be found here: https://jtamobilityworks2.com/new-ferry-vessel/
An additional ferry is welcome news to tourist Tory Logan, who rode his bike to Amelia Island.
"More frequently would be more convenient for tourists like me," Logan said, "I'm sure people using it for business purposes it would be great."
The proposed second ferry is expected to cost $16 million, but Hornblower Group filed for bankruptcy. However, Hornblower Group said this is part of a financial agreement with investors and that there are no changes to transportation services.
“The steps we are taking to transition the ownership of Hornblower Group and strengthen our financial foundation will have no impact on the land and water based experiences and transportation services we provide globally. All of our operations are running normally, and we are continuing to serve guests and commuters in Jacksonville without interruption. We look forward to welcoming commuters on the ferry well into the future," said Hornblower Group CEO Kevin Rabbitt in a statement to First Coast News.
And that comes as welcome news to those who rely on the ferry to save themselves a 28-mile drive over the Dames Point Bridge.
According to a JTA presentation from November 2023, construction of the proposed second ferry won't begin until the spring of 2025 at the earliest.