Those who visit the banks of the James River in James City County are accustomed to seeing blue-and-white ferries shuttling vehicles across the river.
Now, a brand new ferry joined the fleet and began making trips across the river.
The Virginia Department of Transportation celebrated the official arrival of the Powhatan Monday with a christening ceremony on the James River.
The Powhatan replaces the fleet’s Virginia ferryboat and more than doubles its capacity. The Virginia was the oldest boat in the fleet, and was built in 1936 and could carry 25 cars.
“Ferryboat Powhatan represents VDOT’s commitment to delivering multimodal transportation solutions that meet the unique needs of every region in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “Ferries are a lifeline for locals, businesses and services on both sides of the James River, and we welcome the Ferryboat Powhatan as a part of our fleet.”
The long-awaited 70-car vessel was delivered Aug. 30 after making the weeklong voyage from VT Halter Marine shipbuilding company in Pascagoula, Mississippi, VDOT wrote in a news release.
Although the project experienced some delays after crews discovered mechanical issues with the boat, it started its service on the James River Monday after Pamela Northam, Virginia’s first lady, broke a bottle on the bow in a customary christening ceremony.
The project came in $1.2 million under VDOT’s budget of $23.4 million, despite the delays and troubleshooting mechanical issues. Construction on the ferryboat started in December. 2016.
Using an operating budget of about $12 million per year, VDOT shuttles more than 900,000 vehicles across the James River every year using the Pocahontas, Williamsburg, Surry and now Powhatan.
“The Powhatan will improve operations and capacity at the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry,” said VDOT Commissioner Stephen Brich. “A modern ferry fleet allows VDOT to meet the current and future demand for reliable transportation between Surry and James City counties.”
