“Historic Balboa Island Ferry may close due to state emissions requirements.”
That was the headline on March 30, 2023 when the Beek Family, which has owned the Balboa Island Ferry for more than 100 years, announced it was struggling to meet California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) stringent zero emission regulations that require all short run ferries in the state, mostly small privately held businesses, convert to electric engines by December 2025.
According to information provided by the Balboa Island Ferry company at the time, the conversion to electric was financially unfeasible and unrealistic for a small business like the Balboa Ferry, which went into service in 1919 to bring cars and passengers across 900 feet of water between Balboa Island and the Balboa Fun Zone.
“The Balboa Island Ferry is part of our culture, it’s part of our heritage,” stated Gary Sherwin, President and CEO of Visit Newport Beach, when the 2023 announcement was made. “There are certain iconic attractions in California. The ferry is ours. We have the harbor and beaches, and the ferry is right up there when it comes to what makes us Newport Beach. It’s more than a transportation device; it is part of the uniqueness that separates us from other cities.”…