Island Packers to continue service to the islands. Photo by Kevon Bailey
The National Park Service (NPS) announced today a 10-year concession contract award to Island Packers to provide year-round boat transportation service from Ventura to Santa Cruz Island, Anacapa Island, Santa Rosa Island, San Miguel Island, and Santa Barbara Island within Channel Islands National Park.
Island Packers is a new company that will be formed from the merger of the current concession, Island Packers Corporation and Superboat Incorporated. The Island Packers Corporation has held the current concession contract since 2011. The new contract will begin on January 1, 2024.
“We are pleased to announce that Island Packers will continue to provide transportation services for park visitors to Channel Islands National Park,” said Superintendent Ethan McKinley. “Island Packers has provided excellent service to the public for over 50 years, and we look forward to another decade of safe and enjoyable visitor access to Channel Islands National Park.”
The new contract will usher in service and sustainability improvements for the concession operation. Visitors will have access to a greater variety of convenience items for sale onboard the vessels, including hats, sunscreen, lip balm, water, and pre-packaged food items, and will have the option to purchase a pre-made boxed lunch when purchasing their boat transportation ticket in advance. Under the new contract, the concessioner will be making several environmentally sustainable upgrades to vessels, including conversion of the fleet to diesel/electric hybrid transmissions with solar charged batteries.
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 424 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube
