About The CAT

The History

For 12 operating seasons, The CAT brought 1.7 million travelers from the rocky granite coastlines of Maine to the scenic fishing ports of Nova Scotia’s south shore. Beginning in 1998 as a replacement for a decommissioned ferry passage between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Bar Harbor, Maine, The CAT high-speed ferry service has lived many lives. First as the HSC INCAT 046, an ultra-fast Australian-built catamaran that ferried passengers between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Bar Harbour, Maine. In 2006, the INCAT 046 was replaced by the HSC INCAT 059, which expanded its services to the Gulf of Maine to include routes between Portland and Bar Harbor, as well as Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, until 2009 when the ferry service was suspended. In 2016, The CAT came back with a new ship and route between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Portland, Maine. The CAT maintained its Portland to Yarmouth passage until 2018 when its lease with the City of Portland expired. This newest and current vessel, a former Hawaiian super ferry, retained The CAT name but is a chartered ship from the US Navy operated by Bay Ferries.

The CAT will return to its native route between Yarmouth and Bar Harbor, bringing passengers even closer to Maine’s stunning natural attractions such as Acadia National Park’s Cadillac Mountain, and Mount Desert Island, along with many more outdoor adventures.