A ferry service that once ran out of Portland has announced that it intends to resume service between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia.
The Scotia Prince would be a potential competitor for the Bay Ferry’s CAT, which takes passengers from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia and receives a $20 million subsidy from the Nova Scotian government.
“We are looking at all options for the ferry service that will maximize the benefits for Nova Scotia,” provincial spokesperson Gary Andrea said in a statement, according to Devin Stevens of The Canadian Press.
Scotia Prince’s announcement comes after the Nova Scotian government released findings from a 70-page report about the ferry’s economic benefits to the area.
“The (ferry) generates significant economic benefits to Nova Scotia, not just to Yarmouth or southwest Nova Scotia,” the report by 21FSP Advisory reads.
About 77% of ferry travelers stay in the Yarmouth area of the province, with 50% visiting the Halifax region and Annapolis Valley. Just under a third head to Cape Breton Island, which is 600 kilometers from the Yarmouth terminal.
Tourists who come by ferry, according to the report, spend more than those who travel by car, staying 8.4 days and spending $106 each day.
That adds up to $31-$42 million gross domestic product a year. Of that, $1.7 million to $2.7 million goes to the province. Labor income is somewhere between $12 and $18 million. Sales tax numbers range between $800,000 and $1.5 million.
That report, which costs about $250,000 CAD, has not yet been made public. An interim version was released in October 2024, offering an early look at the consultants’ findings.
The high-speed ferry itself is owned by the U.S. Navy and leased to Bay Ferries, which operates the vessel under a contract with the Canadian government that runs through 2026.
In 2025, the CAT had a ridership of 39,700. It linked that drop to lower numbers of Canadians visiting the United States because of strained relations between the two countries since President Donald Trump took office last year. In 2024, there were 49,300. The Town of Bar Harbor leases part of its ferry terminal property to the CAT.
The ferry’s 10-year-contract with the Canadian government ends this year. It’s anticipated that the government will send out requests for proposals for the continuation of ferry service. Bay Ferries continues to seek roughly $325,000 from the state of Maine to help pay for its pilotage fees.
According to Maine Public, Yarmouth’s mayor, Pam Mood, “said the report makes a clear case for the ferry service to continue. She said she believes the province should sign a long-term contract.”
“I have businesses ready to set up here, but if they’re tourism-based, they certainly aren’t going to dig their heels in and invest their hard-earned funds unless there’s a long-term contract that gives them some stability and ability to look forward and say, ‘we’re safe,’” Maine Public quoted Mood as saying.
However, the ferry service contract Canada supports does not necessarily have to be for the CAT and Bay Ferries. Scotia Prince seems hopeful for its own service.
“After a decade of meticulous planning, this rebirth promises affordable, overnight voyages that prioritize passenger comfort, entertainment, and convenience—filling a critical gap in cross-border travel while boosting economic ties between New England and Atlantic Canada,” the Scotia Prince’s media release announced.
The daily service hopes for a May 2027 launch and would run daily through November. This is the same season as the CAT’s.
According to the Portsmouth Herald, “Garrett Henderson, a communications consultant for the company, said Scotia Prince Cruises has ‘six new owners’ preparing to revive the service once operated between Portland, Maine, and Nova Scotia. He acknowledged the company is in ‘such early stages’ that he could not identify the new owners or specify the current location of the vessel they intend to use for the Portsmouth–Nova Scotia route.”
The Scotia Prince has a much longer travel time and route than the CAT’s. However, it is billing itself as an option of “overnight luxury at affordable prices.” That luxury will include a casino, bars, and an entertainment lounge and multiple dining options. It will also be able to carry transport trucks.
This story was originally published by The Bar Harbor Story. To receive regular coverage from the Bar Harbor Story, sign up for a free subscription here.
