Manatee County officials are preparing to introduce a new, larger vessel to the Gulf Islands Ferry fleet, a move they say will improve reliability, passenger comfort and year-round service as ridership continues to climb.
The service launched in January 2024 as a pilot program aimed at reducing traffic congestion between the mainland and Anna Maria Island by offering residents and visitors a water-based transportation alternative. Funded primarily through tourist development tax dollars, which are restricted by state law to tourism-related uses, the service was on a path for expansion as demand increased.
The route hit a snag when two hurricanes knocked the Anna Maria port, the city pier, out of commission.
Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said ridership has surged during peak travel periods, with the service transporting about 500 passengers per day during a recent weekend. The ferry currently operates using two open-air pontoon catamaran vessels between the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier and the Historic Bridge Street Pier.
The new vessel, the Manatee Belle, is expected to enter service in the first quarter of 2026, pending crew training, sea trials and U.S. Coast Guard approvals.
“We want to launch it right the first time,” Falcione said in a Dec. 30, 2025, interview with The Islander.
Built by Breaux Brothers Enterprise of Loreauville, Louisiana, for $2.86 million, the 60-foot boat is constructed of marine-grade aluminum and powered by twin Cummins X15 diesel engines. Unlike the existing catamarans in service, the new boat has enclosed seating, offering heat and air-conditioning.
Falcione said the vessel weighs about 100,000 pounds, while the catamarans weigh about 30,000 pounds. So the larger boat can better handle wind and rough seas. The new ferry can carry 91 passengers, with 33 seats inside and 56 seats outside.
“This is another step closer to allowing employees who live on the mainland and work on the island to rely on the ferry,” Falcione said.
Plans are underway to add a stop at the South Coquina boat launch, as well as at the Anna Maria City Pier.
Falcione said expansion possibilities also include Palmetto and Cortez.
Boarding the ferry
The Gulf Islands Ferry operates Wednesdays-Sundays between the Bradenton Riverwalk Pier, 452 Third Ave. W., Bradenton, and the Historic Bridge Street Pier, 200 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach.
Dependent on weather, first departure from Bradenton is 7:30 a.m. The last Bradenton departure is 9 p.m.
One-way fares are $6, with discounts for seniors and children.
For more information, call 727-200-6487 or go to www.bradentongulfislands.com/gulf-islands-ferry/.
— Lisa Neff