North Carolina Ferry System

Ferries have played a vital role to residents and visitors of Eastern North Carolina and they are an important part of our coastal history. Ferry transportation began in the mid-1920's when Captain J.B. (Toby) Tillett established tug and barge service across Oregon Inlet along North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Today, the N.C. Department of Transportation's Ferry Division extends over seven routes, has 21 ferries and employs over 400 workers. The operations are supported by a full service shipyard, dredge, tugs, barges, and other support vessels.

Each year, North Carolina ferries transport over 1.1 million vehicles and more than 2.5 million passengers across five separate bodies of water - the Currituck and Pamlico sounds and the Cape Fear, Neuse and Pamlico rivers.

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