Lake Michigan Carferry

What Lake Michigan Carferry does

Lake Michigan Carferry operates the SS Badger, the last coal-fired passenger steamship in service in the United States, providing a 60-mile, four-hour crossing of Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin during a May–October sailing season. The vessel is driven by two Skinner Unaflow four-cylinder steam engines (3,500 HP each) and four Foster-Wheeler D-type coal-burning boilers, with vintage Chadburn Engine Order Telegraphs for engine-room communications; it carries up to 600 passengers and 180 vehicles per crossing and operates approximately 450 crossings per season. The company was formed in 1992 by Charles Conrad to revive the vessel as a passenger ferry and was acquired by Interlake Maritime Services in December 2020.

Revenue is generated through multiple transaction-based streams: passenger tickets (from $88 per standard crossing), shoreline cruises (from $60), round-trip mini cruises (from $108), vehicle transport (including automobiles, RVs, motorcycles, and commercial trucks), onboard food and beverage (two service areas, two bars, coffee bar), gift shop sales, and 40 overnight staterooms during peak season. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the FareHarbor embedded booking platform and phone reservations, supported by group bookings for charter and tour operators. The core customer mix blends individual leisure travelers, recreational vehicle and motorcycle enthusiasts, organized groups, and commercial trucking customers using the ferry as the designated continuation of the US-10 Highway System. The SS Badger holds National Historic Landmark (2016), US-10 Highway route, and ASME Mechanical Engineering Landmark designations, which form a regulatory and intangible-asset moat that anchors the experiential and transportation value proposition.

Name

Lake Michigan Carferry

Legal name

SS Badger

Website

https://ssbadger.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Lake Michigan Carferry operates the SS Badger, the last coal-fired passenger steamship in the U.S., running a seasonal 60-mile Lake Michigan ferry service between Ludington, MI and Manitowoc, WI for leisure travelers, recreational vehicles, and commercial trucks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Ferry Services

NAICS

Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (4831)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourist & Scenic Passenger Ferries (Non-Cruise) (THAIAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lake & Inland Water Passenger Transport Operators (TLAFALAI), Sightseeing & Scenic Boat Tours (Harbor, Sunset, Dolphin/Whale Watching) (THAJAJAA)

Keywords

• Passenger ferry services
• Car ferry transportation
• Historic steamship cruises
• Lake michigan ferry
• Vehicle ferry transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Ludington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ferry Tickets: Revenue from selling tickets for the 4-hour Lake Michigan crossing between Ludington, MI and Manitowoc, WI. Ticket prices vary by type (standard from $88, shoreline cruises from $60).
2. Vehicle Transport: Fees for transporting vehicles including automobiles, RVs, motorcycles, motorcoaches, and commercial trucks across Lake Michigan.
3. Onboard Food and Beverage: Two separate food service areas, two bars, and coffee bar services operating during crossings. Expanded culinary choices in 2025 season.
4. Gift Shop: Onboard gift shop offering Badger merchandise, apparel, and collectible keepsakes.
5. Overnight Accommodations: 40 private staterooms available for overnight crossings, particularly during the overnight sailing period from June 20 to September 1.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Lake Michigan Carferry operates the SS Badger, the last coal-fired passenger steamship in the United States, providing a 4-hour, 60-mile ferry crossing of Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The service transports passengers, personal vehicles (automobiles, RVs, motorcycles, motorcoaches), and commercial trucks, and functions as the official continuation of US Highway 10 across the lake. The core product is supplemented by Shoreline Cruises (2-hour scenic tours from $60), Overnight Sailings with 40 private staterooms (June 20 to September 1), the Great Lake Getaway reduced-fare roundtrip, Group Trips, and Commercial Trucking transport, with onboard F&B (two food service areas, two bars, coffee bar) and a gift shop.

Product overview

Lake Michigan Carferry Service operates the SS Badger, a historic coal-fired passenger steamship that serves as the last operating vessel of its kind in the United States. The company offers a single primary product: the cross-lake ferry service connecting Ludington, Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. This core service includes standard passenger and vehicle crossings (4 hours), supplemented by Shoreline Cruises (2-hour scenic tours), and special offerings such as the Great Lake Getaway discounted roundtrip, Round Trip Mini Cruises with overnight options, Group Trips, and Commercial Trucking services. The SS Badger also functions as an official extension of US Highway 10, making it a vital transportation link across Lake Michigan. The company is owned by Interlake Maritime Services and has been in continuous operation since 1953, with its current passenger-focused service resuming in 1992 after transitioning from railroad car ferry operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SS Badger Cross-Lake Ferry Service Historic coal-fired passenger steamship service providing a 4-hour, 60-mile crossing of Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, transporting passengers and vehicles (automobiles, RVs, motorcycles, commercial trucks), operating as the official continuation route of US Highway 10. Standard one-way tickets from $88 per person.
• Shoreline Cruises Two-hour scenic cruises departing from Ludington, Michigan or Manitowoc, Wisconsin, offering lake views and onboard entertainment for all ages. From $60 per person.
• Great Lake Getaway Reduced-fare roundtrip ticket special allowing passengers to cross Lake Michigan roundtrip within a short window (3 days) at a discounted bundled rate.
• Round Trip Mini Cruise Overnight or same-day roundtrip passage allowing passengers to travel at a discounted rate and return within 48 hours, available during double sailings from June 20 to September 1. From $108 per adult without a vehicle; up to two children up to age 15 ride free per adult ticket purchased.
• Commercial Trucking Transport Transport service for commercial vehicles and oversized loads across Lake Michigan, accommodating trucks as part of the US-10 Highway corridor during the May to October sailing season.
• Group Trips Special arrangements for organized group travel, including tour buses and coordinated excursions across Lake Michigan for tour operators, corporate events, family reunions, and other groups.
• Dockside Events Events hosted at the docks in Ludington and Manitowoc, typically coinciding with the sailing season.
• Overnight Sailings Extended evening crossings operating from June 20 to September 1 with 40 private staterooms available, offering passengers an overnight experience aboard the SS Badger.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transported millions of passengers since 1992
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationFareHarbor provides the online booking and reservation platform for S.S. Badger ticket sales, embedded on the company website and used for calendar management, ticket types, and payment processing.
• Mason County Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Mason County Historical Society and Port of Ludington Maritime Museum for historical research, archival photographs, and preservation of maritime heritage. Rose Hawley Archives provides historical documentation.
• Wisconsin Maritime MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for maritime history education and promotion of Great Lakes heritage. Cross-promotional relationship with museum in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
• Door County Maritime MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with maritime museum in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for historical preservation and educational initiatives related to Great Lakes shipping.
• Society for the Preservation of the SS City of MilwaukeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBadger crew member Joe DeBusk serves on the Board of Directors of this organization which oversees the museum ship SS City of Milwaukee, preserving another historic Great Lakes carferry.
• Port of Ludington Maritime MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum for historical preservation, archival access, and promotion of Ludington's maritime heritage.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shepler's Ferry: Operates passenger ferry service to Mackinac Island from Mackinaw City. Comparable Great Lakes passenger ferry operator targeting leisure travelers, with similar vehicle-passenger service mix and seasonal operating model.
• Lake Express: High-speed catamaran ferry providing passenger and vehicle service across Lake Michigan between Muskegon, MI and Milwaukee, WI. Direct competitor on the same lake with similar route function but modern high-speed equipment vs. Badger's heritage steamship positioning.
• Star Line Ferry: Family-owned passenger ferry service to Mackinac Island from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. Direct peer in Great Lakes passenger ferry operations with comparable capacity, seasonal model, and tourism-driven revenue mix.
• Arnold Transit Company: Family-owned operator of passenger ferry service to Mackinac Island from St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, Michigan. Closest direct peer in scale and Great Lakes passenger ferry business model, with similar seasonal tourist-driven economics.

Regional players

• Shoreline Sightseeing: Chicago-based operator of Lake Michigan sightseeing cruises, water taxis, and architectural tours. Operates on the same lake and overlaps on the sightseeing/tourist-cruise product line, but is regionally concentrated in Chicago rather than serving as a cross-lake transportation link.
• Wendella Tours & Cruises: Chicago-based tour boat operator offering Lake Michigan sightseeing cruises, architecture tours, and water taxi services. Comparable Lake Michigan passenger boat operator focused on tourism, but primarily Chicago-lakefront rather than cross-lake.

Broad incumbents

• NYC Ferry: City-operated passenger ferry system in New York Harbor with multiple routes and vessels. Broad incumbent in passenger water transport; comparable direct-to-consumer ticketing and scheduled-route model, but commuter-focused rather than tourist/long-distance.
• City Cruises: Large North American operator of passenger sightseeing cruises, dining cruises, and ferry services across multiple cities. Comparable passenger vessel experience business at broader scale with overlapping onboard F&B, retail, and event revenue streams.
• The Interlake Steamship Company: Sister company under Interlake Maritime Services ownership; largest US-flagged bulk freighter operator on the Great Lakes. Comparable vessel operations and parent ownership, but focuses on bulk cargo freight rather than passenger service.
• Washington State Ferries: Largest passenger and vehicle ferry operator in the United States, operating across Puget Sound. Comparable passenger+vehicle ferry service model at vastly larger scale, but publicly operated and on a different body of water.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ssbadgerferry
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SSBadgerFerry
• Facebookfacebook.com/ssbadgerferry
• Instagraminstagram.com/ssbadgerferry
• TikToktiktok.com/@ssbadgerferry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lake-michigan-carferry

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Lake Michigan Carferry