News

COSTS MOUNTING FOR HIGH SPEED FERRY

The company planning to operate a new high speed ferry across the channel are reported to have agreed to begin reimbursing the city of Rochester for the accumulating $6,000-per-day expense of maintaining the ship, the Spirit of Ontario.

The bill has amounted to more than $200,000 since the city Mayor Robert Duffy announced the $29.8 million ferry sale to British buyers Euroferries Ltd. last month.

A city spokesman said Euroferries will reimburse the city the $6,000 daily expense dating from June 1 until the ship departs for the English Channel.

Additionally, Euroferries will repay the city for fuel and other expenses, a dollar amount which was reported could reach $100,000.

Euroferries has contracted with former ferry manager Bay Ferries Great Lakes LLC to deliver the ship. The crew will arrive this weekend and depart with the ship o­nce the sale is finalised.

The high-speed ferry sale should be finalised within 10 business days, but a formal departure date remains uncertain, city officials said today.