The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) announced Monday that it has temporarily suspended the St. Johns River Ferry service after its only operational vessel was involved in an allision.
The suspension follows an incident Sunday evening, when the 153.6'x56' ferry Jean Ribault struck the boarding ramp while departing from Mayport Landing in Jacksonville, Fla. No injuries were reported.
The JTA said on Thursday that it is working with operations partner HMS Ferries to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
The agency said structural inspections were carried out to assess the condition of both the boarding ramp and the vessel.
"While the ferry vessel itself remains fully operable, recent assessments have identified the need for significant repairs to the ramp structure," JTA said in a statement on Thursday. "Based on current estimates, these repairs are expected to take approximately six to 12 weeks to complete, depending on materials availability and supply chain factors."
Built by Atlantic DryDock and Marine, Jacksonville, in 1996, the Jean Ribault has capacity for 206 passengers and 40 vehicles. The ferry connects the north and south ends of Florida State Road A1A in Duval County by crossing the St. Johns River between Mayport Village and Fort George Island.
The Jean Ribault has been the sole vessel serving the St. Johns River Ferry since 2008, when the 50-car capacity Blackbeard was retired and placed into drydock storage in Green Cove Springs, Fla.
JTA is forced to pause ferry service for several weeks each year while maintenance is performed aboard the Jean Ribault.
In September, JTA was awarded a $15.6 million federal grant to purchase a new diesel-electric hybrid ferry to support the St. Johns River Ferry service.
