Hampton Roads Transit Welcomes Two New Ferry Boats
In November, Hampton Roads Transit welcomed two new ferry boats to its Elizabeth River Ferry service fleet.
Elizabeth River Ferry VI arrived on November 20. It will replace Elizabeth River Ferry III, which was sold at auction. Elizabeth River Ferry VII, arrived on November 27 and is expected to cover the additional ridership brought on by several high-profile projects, including Norfolk’s Headwaters Casino, Norfolk Tides home games, and festivals in downtown Norfolk and Portsmouth.
“We are beyond excited about the arrival of these new ferry boats,” said William Harrell, President and CEO of Hampton Roads Transit. “We celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Elizabeth River Ferry service this summer, and the arrival of these ferries is just icing on the cake. We look forward to these ferries providing enhanced service to both current and future customers.”
The ferries are expected to go into service in early 2024. ERF VI will homeport in Portsmouth while ERF VII will homeport in Norfolk.
The ferry boats were built by St. John’s Ship Building, Inc., based out of Palatka, FL. The project cost a total of $6.4 million and was paid for using federal, state and local resources.
