Mackinac Island ferry service suspends trips amid $4M in repairs

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — One of the two Mackinac Island ferry brands is temporarily suspending its services for repairs.

Hoffmann Marine, which recently purchased Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company (MIFC) and also owns Shepler’s Mackinac Island Ferry , said it will be investing $4 million to get the MIFC fleet of boats in full working order.

MIFC has 10 Mackinac Island ferries. Right now, only three are operational, the company said.

“We discovered that most of the boats were unable to operate on a consistent schedule due to breakdowns and general repair needs,” Jenny Gezella, president of Hoffmann Marine, said in a Wednesday release. “This led to regular delays and disruptions in schedules to and from Mackinac Island. It is impossible to keep these boats in service for the remainder of this season while holding to our high standards of customer service.”

Gezella said the repairs are expected to be done by next spring.

“We’re confident that we can return most of the boats to regular service in time for the 2025 season,” she said.

In a special meeting Thursday, the Mackinac Island City Council agreed to a plan from the company to temporarily suspend State Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company operations. The MIFC boats will stop service on Aug. 19 for the repairs.

Shepler’s is increasing its capacity and will be taking over service for those that have already purchased tickets through MIFC for the rest of the summer.

If you bought a MIFC ticket, it can be exchanged at Shepler’s ticket offices. If you paid for parking through MIFC, you can park in Shepler’s parking lots. If the lot is full, you can park at an off-site lot, with transportation back to the docks provided.

During the special meeting, the city council and Hoffmann Marine discussed details of the pause in service. Tim Hygh, executive director of Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau, told News 8 his team is happy with what came out of the meeting.

“A lot of good news came out of today’s meeting,” he said. “The best news is that we’re going to have ferry service the rest of the season out of both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City, so we’re real pleased with that.”

He added that Shepler’s “has really stepped up to the plate.”

“(Shepler’s is) doubling a lot of their schedules and also offering exchanges,” he said. “As far as our visitors go and our business community, we’re real pleased with how things turned out today.”

Shepler’s is hiring more team members to accommodate the increase. All MIFC workers can stay employed with Hoffmann Marine, the company said.

Hoffmann Marine said the city has been supportive.

“I’ve been in regular contact with Mayor Doud,” Chris Shepler, CEO of Shepler’s, said in the release. “She knows that there’s nothing more important to the Island than safely bringing passengers across the Straits every day and starting off their experience with a memorable boat ride. These moves will help us continue to provide the great service and experience our guests have come to expect from us. I truly appreciate the Mayor’s support and advice as well as the continued support of the City Council.”

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