The Delaware River Port Authority has added a second SIU-contracted passenger ferry to its RiverLink service between Philadelphia and Camden, N.J.The Freedom ferry, operated by McGovern Marine, is a fine addition in more ways than one, said SIU Philadelphia Port Agent Jim Malone. “The other boat has a maximum crew of three, whereas the Freedom has a minimum crew of four,” Malone noted. “The Freedom will need a crew of six when it carries its maximum number of passengers, which is 600.”
The Freedom is designed after the style used in that region in the 1920s. It is equipped with two decks, a steel canopy, an insulated cabin and dual wheelhouses (one at each end). The Freedom also is quieter than its predecessor and is outfitted with restrooms.
McGovern Marine President Jerry McGovern pointed out, “Our (passenger) capacity per hour has improved dramatically. We’ve gone from being able to transport 2,700 people per hour, one way, to 3,600 per hour. Once the docks catch up to the capacity of the vessels, we’ll be able to transport even more passengers.”
He added that the old boat may be overhauled or replaced.
The Freedom, meanwhile, fits the same ferry slip as its counterpart.
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