Sayville Ferry Service Inc

What Sayville Ferry Service Inc does

Sayville Ferry Service Inc operates a passenger and freight ferry service connecting Sayville, Long Island to four Fire Island communities: Cherry Grove, Fire Island Pines, Sailors Haven/Sunken Forest, and Water Island. Founded in 1894 by German immigrant Karl (Charles) Stein, the company is now in its fourth generation of family ownership under Ken III, with no external investors or holding-company structures. The business runs from a single terminal at 41 River Road, Sayville, NY 11782, supported by a fleet of approximately seven vessels (South Bay Clipper, Fire Island Clipper, Fire Island Empress, Cross Bay Clipper, Traveler, Fire Island Express) and a dedicated weekday Package Boat for freight. Approximate one-way trip duration is 20 minutes across the Great South Bay.

Core products include scheduled passenger ferry service, a weekday Package Boat freight and parcel delivery service integrated with UPS, FedEx, and Amazon, private Cross Bay Special charters aboard the Fire Island Express for up to 18 passengers, on-site parking with daily/seasonal/full-season passes ($13-$1,072), and a Sunken Forest field trip program for educational groups. Fares are tiered by destination and passenger category, ranging from approximately $2 (senior Sailors Haven) to $35+ (Water Island adult, card-priced). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the terminal and an online booking website, supplemented by phone reservations and organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X).

The business model is unit-pricing per ticket with daily and seasonal subscription tier in parking. Customer segments split between leisure travelers/day visitors, Fire Island property owners and seasonal residents (a primary segment relying on commutation tickets), Fire Island workers using 7:00 AM/4:00 PM work-boat service, and school/educational groups. Marketing emphasizes destination-page content, partnerships with community associations (FIPPOA, CGCAI) and the National Park Service, plus cross-promotion with the LIRR. Operations are narrowly regional (Long Island to Fire Island) and structurally seasonal, with revenue correlated to summer tourism and seasonal residency cycles in the four target communities.

Name

Sayville Ferry Service Inc

Legal name

Sayville Ferry Service Inc.

Website

https://sayvilleferry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sayville Ferry Service Inc is a fourth-generation, family-owned passenger and freight ferry operating between Sayville, Long Island and four Fire Island communities (Cherry Grove, Fire Island Pines, Sailors Haven, Water Island) since 1894, with parcel delivery, charters, parking, and educational field trips.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Ferry Services

NAICS

Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Intercity & Regional Passenger Ferries (THAIAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Island & Remote Community Ferry Services (THAIAJAG), Passenger Catamaran Operators (TLAFALAE), Island & Archipelago Ferry Services (THAEAGAB)

Keywords

• Passenger ferry service
• Marine transportation
• Freight ferry delivery
• Charter boat services
• Vehicle parking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sayville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Passenger Ferry Fares: One-way and round-trip passenger fares to Fire Island communities including Fire Island Pines, Cherry Grove, Sailors Haven, and Water Island. Fares vary by destination and passenger category (adult, child, senior, disabled). Commutation tickets available for frequent travelers.
2. Cross Bay Special Charters: Private charter service aboard the Fire Island Express for up to 18 passengers. $250 flat rate for up to 10 passengers, $25 per additional person beyond 10. Requires 24-hour advance booking with $50 deposit.
3. Freight and Parcel Services: Package delivery service to Fire Island via dedicated Package Boat on weekdays. Accepts deliveries from UPS, FedEx, Amazon and local vendors. Additional charges for excess luggage, wagons, and carts beyond complimentary allowances.
4. Parking Services: Daily parking at River Road lot ($13 weekday, $23 weekend/holiday), seasonal parking passes (April-October), and full-season parking passes. Additional 3.5% credit card surcharge applies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sayville Ferry Service Inc operates scheduled passenger ferry transportation and freight/package boat delivery between Sayville, New York (Long Island) and Fire Island communities, including Fire Island Pines, Cherry Grove, Sailors Haven, and Water Island. The company also provides charter services (Cross Bay Specials), on-site parking (daily, seasonal, and full season), and Sunken Forest educational field trip programs.

Product overview

Sayville Ferry Service Inc operates a single unified ferry transportation service connecting Long Island to four Fire Island communities (Fire Island Pines, Cherry Grove, Sailors Haven, and Water Island). The core product is scheduled passenger ferry service using a fleet of vessels including South Bay Clipper, Fire Island Clipper, Fire Island Empress, Cross Bay Clipper, Traveler, and Fire Island Express. Supporting add-on services include the Package Boat freight delivery service, Cross Bay Specials private charters, parking facilities, and Sunken Forest educational field trips. The company, founded in 1894, has been family-operated for four generations and serves both as public transportation and freight carrier for the Fire Island communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scheduled Passenger Ferry Service
• Cross Bay Specials (Charter Service)
• Package Boat / Parcel Delivery
• Parking Services
• Sunken Forest Field Trips

Quantifiable outcome

• 20-minute approximate ferry ride from Sayville to Fire Island destinations

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Long Island Rail RoadminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLinked transportation partner providing rail access for customers traveling to the Sayville ferry terminal from New York City and Long Island destinations. Website features direct link to MTA/LIRR schedules.
• National Park Service (Fire Island National Seashore)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial ferry service partner providing access to the Fire Island National Seashore at Sailors Haven/Sunken Forest. Site features NPS visitor information and links to official NPS resources for the Sunken Forest nature preserve.
• Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association (FIPPOA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWebsite features link to FIPPOA for Fire Island Pines community information, marina services, and local resources.
• Cherry Grove Community Association (CGCAI)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWebsite features link to CGCAI for Cherry Grove community information and resources.
• Coastline FreightminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferenced freight partner for larger cargo shipments to Fire Island communities. Additional resource linked on freight policy page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NY Waterway: Major Northeast commuter ferry and harbor operator running passenger routes across New York Harbor and the Hudson River; comparable to Sayville Ferry as a regional passenger water transportation provider, though operating in a much larger urban corridor.

Regional players

• SeaStreak: New York Harbor and New Jersey-based commuter ferry and high-speed catamaran operator; comparable to Sayville Ferry's Cross Bay Special charter aboard the Fire Island Express in its use of high-speed catamarans for passenger water transport in the Northeast.

Direct peers

• Hy-Line Cruises: Hyannis-based ferry operator running scheduled passenger and high-speed service to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard; comparable to Sayville Ferry's mixed fleet of standard and high-speed passenger vessels serving seasonal island demand.
• Fire Island Ferries: Bay Shore-based ferry operator that runs scheduled passenger service from Bay Shore to Ocean Beach, Fire Island—the most direct competitor to Sayville Ferry, serving overlapping Fire Island destinations from an adjacent Long Island launch point with a comparable seasonal passenger model.
• Cape May–Lewes Ferry: Operates passenger and vehicle ferry service across the Delaware Bay between Cape May, NJ and Lewes, DE; comparable regional scheduled passenger ferry with a similar mix of leisure travelers and residents using seasonal service.
• Davis Park Ferry Company: Patchogue-based ferry operator running passenger service to Davis Park on Fire Island; directly comparable seasonal passenger ferry business serving the same Fire Island ecosystem from a neighboring Long Island terminal.
• Watch Hill Ferry: Operates passenger ferry service from Patchogue to Watch Hill within the Fire Island National Seashore; serves the same island ecosystem as Sayville Ferry's Sailors Haven route, with a comparable recreational and seasonal rider mix.
• Steamship Authority (Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket): Public ferry operator providing scheduled passenger and freight service from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket—the closest analog to Sayville Ferry in terms of serving car-free island communities with mixed passenger and freight logistics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sayvilleferry
• Facebookfacebook.com/sayvilleferryservice
• Instagraminstagram.com/sayvilleferryservice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sayville-ferry-service-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sayville Ferry Service Inc