Freight

As the lifeline to the islands, Casco Bay Lines ships thousands of pounds of personal and commercial freight every year. The following guidelines are provided to help you understand our freight shipping policies. If you have any questions, please call the Freight Office at (207) 774-7871 ext. 107.

All freight shipments are made subject to the acceptance by the consignee of the expressed conditions that:

• All shipments are governed by the rules as printed in the CBITD tariff, which is available for perusal at the CBITD offices.
• The sailing schedule is subject to change without notice.
• The carrier assumes no liability for damages or injury unless the carrier's negligence was the sole proximate cause. CBITD's liability shall be limited to the actual value of the item, not to exceed $100, for all injuries resulting from loss, damage or delay, unless a greater value is disclosed in writing to CBITD and CBITD agrees in writing to be responsible for such increased value, in which case CBITD is authorized to charge a higher tariffed amount.
• All claims for loss, injury or delay must be filed in writing with the carrier within three (3) months after such loss, damage, injury or delay occurs.
• Except in the case of the carrier's negligence, freight or merchandise destined to or taken from a wharf or landing shall be entirely at the risk of the owner after it is unloaded from vessels or until it is loaded onto vessels.
• Freight tendered for transportation by the carrier must be properly packed and protected.

Carry-on vs. Shipped Freight

Any item which cannot be reasonably carried in hand by the passenger in a single boarding must be shipped as paid freight. Additional guidelines:

• Items longer than 8 feet (lumber, pipe, etc.) or wider than the gang plank (30 inches) must be shipped as paid freight.
• Baby carriages, strollers or shopping carts reasonably loaded with personal items (no fuel tanks, motors, or other heavy or unwieldy objects) may be carried on as long as they are easily and safely handled by one individual.

The captain or freight agent may waive these guidelines at his/her discretion, as long as the safety of passengers will not be affected.

All carry-on items must be kept by the passenger's side. They must not obstruct passageways nor interfere with passenger space, crew work areas, or safety equipment. Do not place your carry-on items near the paid freight, or they might be unloaded at an island without you!

General Freight Shipping Tips

Arrive Early

Personal freight (groceries, luggage, small supplies or household items) must be checked in at least 30 minutes before departure. Last-minute arrivals will be shipped on the next available trip. If possible, have your items properly packed and labeled (see below) before you arrive.

Pack Your Freight Securely

It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that all items are packed securely for shipment. Plastic bags are not a secure means of shipment! Sturdy boxes or totes are best. If you are grocery shopping, the local stores keep banana boxes on hand just for island customers. Fragile items must be well wrapped for protection and clearly identified to the freight agent. Please keep in mind that items often must be loaded on steep inclines and may be subjected to rough seas and inclement weather. See the column on the right for special policies regarding large items and commercial freight.

Items that are not packed to CBITD's specifications may be refused transport. If you are informed that your freight is not properly packed, but you want us to transport it anyway, you must sign a waiver form releasing CBITD from liability for damage or loss.

Label Your Freight

Mark your freight clearly with your name, island destination, and boat departure time. Labels and markers are available in the freight shed. It is essential that each individual item be tagged. While we do try to keep all your items together, space constraints may require us to consolidate items into a cage, pallet or cart. We cannot guarantee that the cart you load will remain intact!

Check In and Pay

Upon arrival at the ferry terminal, park your vehicle in one of the 5-minute spaces alongside the building. Enter the freight shed, located inside the garage bay doors at the end of the building, or enter through the door marked "Freight Office" and go to the window. Let the freight agent on duty know if you need help unloading and packing your items.

When you are ready to pay, the freight agent will ask:

• How you wish to pay (cash, check, credit card, or charge account).
• Your name
• The island to which you are shipping
• The departure time you prefer
• The type and quantity of freight

The type of freight may be designated as groceries, personal effects (clothing, small household items, etc.), or simply what the item is. Example: Mrs. Jones notes that she has 2 boxes of groceries, a case of beer, 3 personal items, a vacuum cleaner, and a chair as she unloads her car. Ask the agent if you are unsure how to designate your freight.

Freight Charges

All freight is shipped according to the tariff, which lists the cost of shipping each type of item. There is a minimum charge of $4.30 per freight shipment.

Groceries are the least expensive items to ship (you can ship up to 3 grocery items and still be within the minimum charge). The charge for a grocery item is based on the size of a single banana box or canvas tote; extra large totes, fish totes or large boxes are charged at a higher rate. Cases of beer, wine, liquor or seafood are individually charged.

Personal effects, such as luggage, are charged at a slightly higher per item rate.

Building supplies are charged either per item or per board foot. When ordering from the lumber yard, give the freight office a call and they can quote the total shipping rate to you and keep it on file until your lumber arrives. Many local lumber suppliers have accounts with Casco Bay Lines and can make the transaction easier by adding the shipping charges to your lumber bill.

Prepayment

Payment is required before freight can be shipped. If you expect an order to be delivered while you are on the island or away, you may prepay the freight charges. Stop by or call the freight office and tell the agent when the shipment will arrive and which boat you want it shipped on. Prepay the shipping charge by cash, check or credit card, and we will hold your payment until the shipment arrives. Please note that any freight that arrives without prior notice may be turned away. Also, please be aware that, due to the large quantity of freight that we handle every day, we cannot call every customer when freight is shipped.

Upfreight

Upfreight is anything shipped to Portland from one of the islands. As always, upfreight must be properly packed or it will not be accepted for transport. Let the deckhands know you have upfreight and they will load it onto the boat. Pay the shipping charges at the freight window or in the freight shed upon your arrival in Portland. Please call ahead if you have a large upfreight shipment so we can plan accordingly with proper equipment.

UPS & Federal Express

Both UPS and Federal Express deliver to Casco Bay Lines daily, Monday through Friday. When placing your order, be sure to use your island address, not Casco Bay Lines' address; the zip code will flag your package for delivery to the ferry terminal. We have contracted agents on Peaks Island, Long Island, Chebeague Island, and Cliff Island to deliver packages to your home (and all freight charges are paid by UPS and FedEx!). Little and Great Diamond Island customers will be called to arrange a time to meet the boat. COD packages arriving from UPS require a check made out to the company you ordered from (not UPS). The driver will not leave a COD package without payment.

Grocery Deliveries

Hannaford on Forest Avenue and Shaw's at Westgate both offer grocery delivery service on Tuesdays. When you finish your shopping, the store will box and deliver your groceries to Casco Bay Lines. We deliver them to the island. Both Union Wharf Market on Commercial Street and Paul's Food Center on Congress Street offer a call-in and delivery service. Contact the service desk at the grocery store for details.

Vehicle Freight

Trucks are charged according to the gross vehicle weight (GVW) and freight on board is charged at a rate of $1.75 per 100 pounds. If you are renting a truck, the rental agency can give you the GVW and the empty (tare) weight when you reserve the truck. See Vehicles for more information about vehicle transport.