PORT ANGELES – The M.V. Coho ferry in Port Angeles faces another summer shutdown.

At a forum sponsored by the Clallam County Economic Development Corporation, Black Ball Ferries’ Ryan Malane says it looks like the Canadian border will remain closed at least until September.

That means another summer tourist season will not happen for the ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria, BC. That adds to a full year of the run being idled.

“This is the longest service outage the in history of this route, which has been in operation generally by Black Ball, for well over a hundred years. During  this period, nearly all of our employees had been laid off or furloughed. Although we did have PPP in two rounds and we’re in a current round of that which has been a great help. We also received support via the CARES Act through the county and the city has helped us with some utility relief. There’s just lots of support that we feel from the community and we’re very appreciative of that.”

The COVID pandemic and subsequent border closure has left the Coho tied up since late March 2020. Malane says that has resulted in about $64 million dollars in lost direct and indirect t revenue to the region through tourism and commerce.

Malane says there is some frustration on both sides of the border about the closure.

“I think, you know, our friends in Victoria are equally as frustrated with the border being shut down. And, you know, I think they’re starting to appreciate that the U.S. is tackling the COVID issues and in doing so in a remarkably quick way. So, sentiment is changing. And I know a lot of people on the island, might dear friends who desperately want to cross the border.”

Malane shared survey results that showed Canadians are uncomfortable opening the border. But sentiment for allowing fully-vaccinated visitors from the US is starting to increase. Thirteen percent of those surveyed supported vaccinated US visitors. That’s up from three percent in March.

Malane says he hopes there might be service running by the time Port Angeles’  Dungeness Crab and Seafood Festival arrives in October. The event draw hundreds of visitors from Victoria to Port Angeles.