Barbeau, MI — Along with a rural public bussing system, the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA) also operates three vehicle and passenger ferries to the nearby islands of Sugar, Drummond and Neebish.
On November 8, 2022, EUPTA welcomed their newest ferry into service — the Neebish Islander III.
The Neebish Islander III was built in Manitowac, WI by the Burger Boat Company and they christened her at their facility back on August 13.
The Islander III is designed to be an ice breaking passenger and vehicle ferry that can carry 15 passenger vehicles. The ferry will be used year-round, carrying people on the St Mary’s River, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, between Barbeau and Neebish Island. “We build all different kinds of projects that can be found around the world from research vessels to passenger vessels, now a car ferry, motor yachts of all different sizes,” said Ron Cleveringa, Burger Boat Company Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
At 1:30pm today, the Neebish Islander II made its final trip as it ferried a truck with a trailer of sugar beets to the island. As it docked on the island, the Neebish Islander III greeted its older sister with a salute to which the crowd responded with cheers as the III came into view. The blue-hulled craft with an orange deck and white side-mounted pilot house docked on the mainland, lowered its ramp and the crowd moved to “ooos” and “wows.” It really is beautiful.
“Public transport is so important across the region and most people only think it happens on the mainland.” said Jean Ruestman, Director of the Office of Passenger Transportation for MDOT. “We recognized the need for islanders to be able to get to the mainland to get the services they needed and take them back to the island. That was most important.”
Father Romeo from the Sault was present to conduct a Maritime Blessing on the Neebish Islander III. Once the blessing was completed, the new vessel went into service while the Neebish Islander II sailed downriver to be docked until it can be sold, no longer to carry vehicles or passengers from the mainland to Neebish Island as it has been since 1944.
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