ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. -- People will soon be able to take a 70-minute ride across the Pamlico Sound into Ocracoke Island on North Carolina’s first passenger-only ferry.

  • The catamaran-style boat will be able to seat about 100 people on the inside along with another 26 on the outside
  • Passengers will be able to enjoy a snack bar during the ride
  • It’ll cost $15 round-trip

"We're very thrilled to implement this new service,” said Jed Dixon, Executive Director of the North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Division.

“We think it's going to give the vacationer choices so they can decide what works best for them," said Dixon.

It's called the Ocracoke Express, the first of its kind to be built right here in North Carolina.

The catamaran-style boat will be able to seat about 100 people on the inside along with another 26 on the outside. Passengers will even be able to enjoy a snack bar during the ride.

"If someone's going to the village to shop and have lunch and just to look around Ocracoke and explore, this is an alternative for that," said Dixon.

State DOT officials planned to have it up and running by mid-July but US Workboats, the company building it, had trouble finding the skilled labor.

But the project is moving along as thousands of pieces of welded aluminum come together.

"It's like a 3D jigsaw puzzle really, very interesting how it's all constructed and what holds what together,” said Josh Armstrong, CEO of US Workboats.

Workers started building the ferry upside down about six months ago.

Monday, it was flipped upright marking another milestone in construction.

"We're going to be putting the machinery, the engines and stuff in and assembling the top and bottoms halves in the next upcoming 30 days or so," said Armstrong.

Once complete, the new ferry will undergo sea trials and other testing.

For US Workboats, it's been a challenging but rewarding experience so far.

"It's nice to have to do something that you actually get to see out working and doing its job later, we're very proud of it," said Armstrong.

DOT officials hope to have the ferry operational by October.

It’ll cost $15 round-trip.