The MBTA bets on the future of Boston-area ferry service

David Perry learned as a boy to steer boats through New England waters and trained as a man to navigate the meandering channels of government.

• That's what led to his latest role: The MBTA's inaugural commuter ferry services director.

Why it matters: The Boston Harbor's 180 miles of shoreline have huge potential for commuters, tourists and others seeking an alternative to driving or navigating public transit across coastal cities.

• That's where Perry comes in.

State of play: Perry tells Axios he wants to incrementally expand the ferry system to offer more frequent rides, possibly longer hours and more stops along the coastline.

• But first, he says, his priority is keeping the boats running.

There's demand for water transit. The T-run ferries made an estimated 1.6 million trips in 2019 before the pandemic.

• By 2023, the total was back up to 1.2 million, close to pre-pandemic levels, Perry said, though that also includes ferry services that launched after 2020.

Zoom in: Perry's already envisioning the possibilities of expanded services on various rides in the years to come.

• The Winthrop/Quincy service could use more vessels. Only one serves this route.
• He'd like to one day see later hours and more frequent rides for the East Boston and Charlestown ferries.
• Then there are the places that don't have ferry service yet, but could benefit from it, if feasible.

What they're saying: "There's opportunity here. This is the kind of thing where it appears that if we build it, they will come."

Yes, but: The MBTA will have to navigate a series of constraints as it expands.

• They range from the number of boats available to the workforce to dock space (which is already limited in downtown Boston) to the various stakeholders running the waterways.

The Boston-area boating landscape is a dizzying bureaucratic maze. There's:

• The T's decades-old Hingham and Charlestown ferries, plus its newer seasonal Eastie and Quincy/Winthrop services.
• Salem's own ferry service
• An array of private boats and water taxis
• Marinas full of independent boaters
• The "navigable channels," or areas of the Outer Harbor and neighboring cities blocked off by the Coast Guard, which are designated for water traffic.

Plus: For all the land the MBTA owns, almost none of it is along the coast.

For now, Perry's started meeting with various stakeholders and riding the ferries.

1 bright spot: Between the newer ferry services and the T closures for repairs, Perry doesn't see ridership dipping anytime soon.

• "It's very popular," he says. "Ridership is very loyal, and everybody's excited to use it.

Sign up for Axios Boston for free.