The Manatee Belle, the third in a ferry fleet operating out of Bradenton, Fla., began operations April 11. Twice as large as the two existing pontoon ferries operated by Manatee County, the $2.86 million vessel was acquired “to meet the growing demand for multimodal transportation between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island,” according to county officials.
Built by Breaux Brothers Enterprises, New Iberia, La., the 60'x16'6" aluminum ferry carries up to 93 passengers in a climate-controlled cabin or on an exterior deck. The boat is powered by a pair of Cummins X15 diesels that each produce 630 hp at 2,100 rpm through ZF 510-1 A gears.
The new boat was fully funded by the local 6% tourist development tax levied on motel, resort and vacation rental accommodations, both along Anna Maria’s seven miles of coastline and the inland communities, according to county officials.
Now in its third year of operations, the county’s Gulf Island Ferry service caried 55,000 passengers in 2025, helping to reduce local traffic volumes by almost 23,000 cars, according to county officials. The Manatee Belle is a major addition to the existing fleet of two 49-passenger catamarans, the Miss Anna Maria and Downtown Duchess.
At 100,000 lbs. displacement, the Manatee Belle is a big step up from the two 30,000 lbs. cats with outboard engines.
“The Manatee Belle is the logical next step for the Gulf Islands Ferry, a larger vessel with indoor seating able to handle more adverse weather conditions,” Tal Siddique, chairman of the Manatee County Board of Commissioners, said in an April statement. “The addition of this boat provides ease to both our residents and visitors that continues to enhance multimodal transportation in our community.”
“It’s what we need to take the water ferry operation to a new level,” Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the Anna Maria Islander. The larger vessel will improve scheduling and reduce weather-related delays.
The ferry features onboard Wi-Fi access and a wheelchair-accessible ramp and designated seating areas that adhere to Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The ferry service from the Bradenton downtown Riverwalk Pier takes about 35 minutes to the Bradenton Beach Historic Bridge Street Pier across the Manatee River through the Intracoastal Waterway.
County officials look to expansion with more stops at the Anna Maria City Pier, Coquina Beach and Cortez in the future.
The new vessel service is included on the updated county schedule from 7:30 a.m. through 7:30 p.m., to the Historic Bridge Street Pier; Anna Maria Island service starts at 9 a.m. and runs through 9 p.m.
