what ’ s working
arrival of the coho and beyond
After Acheson died in 1963 , his wife , Lois , ran Black Ball Transport until her death in 2004 . She left her estate to the Oregon State University Foundation , and four years later , management added the trade name Black Ball Ferry Line . The current owners , including Chairman and CEO Captain John “ Jack ” Cox , President and Chief Operating Officer Ryan Burles , Chief Financial Officer David Booth , Vice President of Marketing Ryan Malane , and Vice President of Terminal Operations Rian Anderson , purchased the company in 2012 .
Today , the company ’ s only ferry is the MV Coho , a 341-foot , 5,100-ton ship that can carry 115 vehicles and 1,000 passengers . Commissioned by Acheson in 1959 , the ferry has earned a reputation for being safe , reliable and affordable . It has transported more than 23 million passengers and 7 million vehicles during its 65 years of service . The company ’ s 75 year-round and 50 seasonal employees take impeccable care of the ship , which is expected to remain in service for another 17 – 20 years .
In recent years , Black Ball Ferry Line has introduced hotel and attraction packages . The company also began offering free bikes this year to encourage cleaner travel . Future plans include moving to a new $ 300 million ferry terminal in downtown Victoria . The facility , which will house Black Ball Ferry Line , the Victoria Clipper , the Canadian Border Services Agency , and U . S . Customs and Border Protection , will allow passengers to complete the preclearance process in Victoria before sailing to the U . S . When it opens in 2028 , the terminal will usher in a new era of convenience and efficiency for the fabled company .
Future plans include moving to a new $ 300 million ferry terminal in downtown Victoria .
28 association of washington business