The head of a new competitor to the two companies providing vehicle transportation between St. Thomas and St. John says he hopes the three firms can work together, but if not he's ready and willing to undercut the going fees by as much as half.
Boyson Inc. and Republic Barge charge $50 round trip on weekdays for the trip between Red Hook and Cruz Bay Creek and $40 on weekends. Stanley Hedrington, president of Global Marine, told the Daily News he might go as low as $25.
Hedringon's partners in Global are Rodney Varlack, owner of the Varlack Ventures passenger ferry company, and St. John businessman Everton Lewis, the Daily News reported. Varlack Ventures shares the St. Thomas-St. John passenger transportation run with Transportation Services, owned by the Boynes family. Family member Sherrie Boynes-Jackson is a co-owner of Boyson Inc.
Global Marine's 122-foot barge Tuglife, which arrived in the territory last week, has a capacity to carry 30 cars and includes a snack bar. Hedrington says he plans to sell discounted commuter tickets to regular customers and do late-night runs so St. John residents can have a night out on St. Thomas and drive home afterward. The schedule of operations must be approved by the Port Authority.
One concern expressed about the proposed entry of Global into the market is the already crowded situation at Cruz Bay Creek. Hedrington says the congestion problem can only be solved by the Port Authority proceeding with plans to build a new commercial port at Enighed Pond.