Black Ball Ferry Line

What Black Ball Ferry Line does

Black Ball Ferry Line is a private passenger and vehicle ferry operator founded in 1959, providing daily year-round service between Victoria, British Columbia and Port Angeles, Washington via the M.V. Coho. The single-vessel operation completes a 90-minute crossing covering 22.59 nautical miles (42 km) across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with onboard amenities including a cafeteria, gift shop, duty-free store, interior lounges, solarium, and pet-friendly areas. The company employs 51-100 staff, is governed by U.S. federal maritime law and Washington State law, and is administered from a Seattle, WA headquarters while operating terminals in Port Angeles and Victoria.

The core product is the ferry crossing itself, accessed via an online reservation system at cohoferry.com, in-person terminal sales, and phone booking. Revenue is generated through three streams: passenger and vehicle ferry fares, bundled vacation packages combining ferry travel with hotels and regional attractions (examples include Butchart Gardens, 7 Cedars Resort, Malahat SkyWalk, Hurricane Ridge, and Crabfest experiences), and onboard retail including duty-free sales. Pricing is unit-based, with fares subject to a fuel surcharge; package prices range from approximately $67 to $249 USD per person depending on inclusions and double occupancy.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, supported by a multi-channel marketing presence across website, email newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, with content marketing around Pacific Northwest itineraries. The company partners with more than ten regional hotels and attractions to distribute package deals, creating a curated travel ecosystem. There is no disclosed parent company, venture capital backing, or institutional investment; the company operates as an independent private business with no funding rounds or M&A activity on record.

Name

Black Ball Ferry Line

Legal name

Black Ball Ferry Line

Website

https://cohoferry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Black Ball Ferry Line is a private ferry operator running the M.V. Coho daily between Victoria, BC and Port Angeles, WA, serving Pacific Northwest tourists, drive-on travelers, and walk-on passengers with bundled hotel and attraction vacation packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Ferry Services

NAICS

Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border & International Passenger Ferries (THAIAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Passenger Ro-Ro Ferries (Vehicle + Passenger) (THAIAJAF), Ferry Terminal, Port & Passenger Handling Services (THAEAGAJ)

Keywords

• Passenger ferry service
• Vehicle ferry transport
• Cross-border ferry
• Ferry vacation packages
• Maritime transportation

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ferry Fares: Revenue from walk-on passengers and drive-on passengers (vehicles, motorcycles) traveling between Victoria, BC and Port Angeles, WA. Walk-on tickets are charged at checkout with no reservation fee, while vehicle reservations require a separate non-refundable reservation fee plus fare at the terminal.
2. Package Deals (Ferry + Hotels + Attractions): Bundled vacation packages combining ferry fare with hotel accommodations and attraction tickets. Examples include The Butchart Gardens packages, 7 Cedars Resort packages, Hurricane Ridge shuttle packages, and overnight Victoria/Port Angeles packages. Full payment is collected upfront including ferry tickets, hotel, and attraction costs.
3. Onboard Services: Revenue from onboard amenities including cafeteria, gift shop, duty-free store, and tour desk services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Black Ball Ferry Line operates the M.V. Coho, a passenger and vehicle ferry providing daily year-round service across the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Victoria, BC and Port Angeles, WA. The 90-minute crossing covers 22.59 nautical miles and serves walk-on passengers, drive-on passengers (cars, motorcycles, RVs), and commercial vehicles. The company supplements ferry fares with bundled vacation packages combining ferry travel with hotels and regional attractions, plus onboard amenities such as cafeteria, gift shop, duty-free store, and lounges.

Product overview

Black Ball Ferry Line operates the M.V. Coho as a single, unified passenger and vehicle ferry service connecting Victoria, BC with Port Angeles, WA. The core offering is the ferry crossing itself, supported by an online reservation system. Additional revenue streams include package deals (overnight and day trip packages) that bundle ferry travel with hotel accommodations and attractions, onboard amenities (cafeteria, gift shop, duty-free), and an independent online gift shop. The product portfolio centers on the M.V. Coho ferry service supplemented by travel package modules and onboard retail amenities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• M.V. Coho: The primary ferry vessel operated by Black Ball Ferry Line, a passenger and vehicle ferry providing service across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bicycles travel FREE on Black Ball Ferry Line with purchase of ferry ticket
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 7 Cedars ResortcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor7 Cedars Resort in Port Angeles is a partner hotel offering package deals with Black Ball Ferry Line ferry service. Packages include ferry fare plus resort accommodations.
• Olympic Lodge by AyrescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOlympic Lodge in Port Angeles partners with Black Ball for package deals combining ferry service with hotel accommodations.
• Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles HarborcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRed Lion Hotel in Port Angeles offers vacation packages with Black Ball Ferry Line ferry service.
• Best Western Dorchester NanaimocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBest Western Dorchester in Nanaimo (Vancouver Island) partners with Black Ball for ferry-inclusive packages.
• Prestige Oceanfront Resort SookecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke, BC offers vacation packages with Black Ball Ferry Line service.
• Victoria Carriage TourscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVictoria Carriage Tours has been providing quality horse-drawn tours since 1978. Offers package deals combining ferry fare with guided carriage tours of downtown Victoria and Beacon Hill Park.
• The Butchart GardenscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Butchart Gardens is a major Victoria attraction partner offering package deals with round-trip shuttle from downtown Victoria plus ferry service. Base rate from $126 USD per person.
• Malahat SkyWalkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMalahat SkyWalk attraction partner offering package deals with ferry from $84 USD per person.
• Pendray Tea HouseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPendray Tea House offers afternoon tea experiences packaged with Black Ball Ferry service from $110 USD per person.
• Elevate OutdoorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorElevate Outdoors kayaking tours partner offering guided kayaking experiences packaged with ferry service from $175 USD per person.
• Discover E-BikesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiscover E-Bikes in Port Angeles offers e-bike rentals and tours packaged with Black Ball Ferry service from $186 USD per person.
• Hurricane Ridge Shuttle OperatorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHurricane Ridge shuttle services are bundled with ferry packages. The shuttle operates daily from June 19 - September 7, 2026. Clallam Transit also operates Hurricane Ridge shuttles for $2 USD round trip in summer.
• The PedalerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBicycle rental partner in Victoria offering bike rentals and tours. Black Ball offers FREE bicycle transport with ferry ticket purchase.
• Enterprise Car RentalsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnterprise car rental services are referenced as part of the travel booking and reservation process for package deals.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Argosy Cruises: Seattle-based harbor cruise and tour operator running sightseeing vessels around Elliott Bay and the Seattle waterfront. Comparable as a small passenger-vessel operator in the Pacific Northwest serving tourists, though its service is local rather than cross-border.

Regional players

• San Juan Cruises: Offers whale watching and chartered cruises departing from the San Juan Islands/Seattle area in the Pacific Northwest. Comparable as a small operator providing packaged, tourism-oriented water-based experiences around Victoria and the Salish Sea, though not a vehicle ferry.
• Puget Sound Express: Operates day cruises and whale-watching excursions departing from Edmonds, WA to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, BC area. Comparable as a small Northwest passenger-vessel operator focused on leisure travel to Victoria, though without vehicle-carrying capability.

Direct peers

• Victoria Clipper: Operates high-speed catamaran passenger-only service between Seattle, WA and Victoria, BC. Direct competitor on the Victoria cross-border corridor; differs from Black Ball by serving Seattle (vs. Port Angeles) and not carrying vehicles.
• Clipper Navigation (Clipper Vacations): Same operator family as Victoria Clipper; offers multi-modal vacation packages (ferry + hotel + attractions) between Seattle and Victoria. Highly comparable to Black Ball's bundled package strategy but on the Seattle corridor rather than Port Angeles.

Broad incumbents

• Washington State Ferries: Operates the largest U.S. ferry system serving the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands from terminals including near Port Angeles. Comparable vehicle-and-passenger ferry operator in the same geography; operates multiple routes rather than a single cross-border line.
• Hornblower Cruises: Large U.S. cruise and ferry operator with sightseeing and charter services across multiple U.S. cities. Comparable as a passenger vessel operator with onboard amenities (food, retail, lounges), though significantly larger and broader in scope than Black Ball.
• BC Ferries: Provincial Crown corporation operating the largest ferry network in British Columbia, including routes connecting Vancouver Island to the mainland. Comparable as a passenger and vehicle ferry operator in the same regional market but covers many routes, not just Victoria-US crossings.
• Alaska Marine Highway System: State-operated ferry system providing passenger and vehicle service along Alaska's coastline. Comparable as a regional vehicle-and-passenger ferry operator serving tourism and local travel, but operating on much longer routes in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mvcoho
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPcP9gdC3HYp6KzQrMfptiA
• Facebookfacebook.com/mvcoho
• Instagraminstagram.com/mvcoho
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-ball-ferry-line

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Ball Ferry Line