Imaguan Maritime Service

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Imaguan Maritime Service
Servizio marittimo imaguano

File:IMSlogo.png
Type	State-owned enterprise
Industry	Transportation
Founded	Cuanstad, Imagua and the Assimas (1953)
Headquarters	Cuanstad, Imagua and the Assimas
Products	Ferry service

The Imaguan Maritime Service (Etrurian: Servizio marittimo imaguano) is a state-run ferry operator providing ferry services between the Imaguan islands of Avitabile Island, Dunhelm Island, the island of Imagua, and San Sigfrido Island.

Established in 1953, it was intended to unite Imagua and the Assimas by providing regular ferry transportation at "an affordable price," so to ensure that all Imaguans could freely travel between the islands.

History

After the end of the Solarian War in 1946, the Province of Imagua annexed the Assimas Islands. This led to discussion around the possibility of a state-run ferry across the Pilastri Straits to connect the newly-acquired territory, especially as government officials advocated for a government-owned ferry to connect the Assimas to the island of Imagua.

However, at the time, it was met with opposition from the Sotirian Democratic government led by Frederick Maynard, as he believed that it should be a private service, and that by establishing a state-run ferry, it would "drive out all private competition out of business," which would harm the Imaguan economy. By 1947, ferries started to operate between the islands, but prices were steep, with a price for a one-way crossing between Cuanstad and San Pietro around 4ſ31 in 1949, or about 1,317ſ91, or €174.63 as of 2018.

Outcry at the high prices meant that when Sotty Haloranov of the Democratic Labour Party was elected in 1952, one of his pledges was to establish a state-run ferry service in order to lower ferry prices and to unite Imagua and the Assimas. Haloranov specifically requested that fares be set to 25d for a single crossing on any route (about 60ſ54 in 2018, or €8.02), regardless of distance, so that "any Imaguan can, without fear of cost, travel from one island to another."

In 1953, the Maritime Transportation Act of 1953 was passed, which established the Imaguan Maritime Service as an agency of the Ministry of Transportation. Under the direct control of the Ministry of Transportation, the government would purchase ships from (TBA) and (TBD) to create a fleet that would provide for "a minimum of three crossings per day" on each of the routes, and by 1954, the Imaguan Maritime Services commenced operations. Despite proposals by Sotirian Democratic Prime Minister Martin Ellingham to abolish the Imaguan Maritime Service in the late 1950s, the Imaguan Maritime Service would remain an agency of the Ministry of Transportation until 1981. By 1980, the Imaguan Maritime Service would reach its peak, with nine routes serving twelve stops.

In 1981, as part of Pietro Muro's austerity budget, it became a state-owned enterprise, with the Imaguan Maritime Service restructured so to be run more like a corporation. As well, the number of routes operated by the Imaguan Maritime Service were substantially reduced to four routes, with all routes to Guardia Island (in particular, the village of Oniri) cut, as well as all "intra-Imaguan routes" (i.e. routes only serving the island of Imagua). Furthermore, some stops, such as Dunhelm Lookout on the Nua Taois-Lapprodo route, were cut entirely.

In the late 1990s, the Imaguan Maritime Service began to modernise its fleet, with an order of five ninety-eight metre catamarans produced by TBD in order to replace the "assorted collection of ships" that the Imaguan Maritime Service had since its inception. The new ships were to all have ropax capabilities, as although most ships in the fleet had space for vehicles, some were passenger-only, which impeded the ability for people to take their cars from island to island. The first catamaran arrived in 2002, and by 2006, with the introduction of the last catamaran, the Imaguan Maritime Service's fleet was declared to be fully modernised.

Routes

Current routes

Since 1 April, 1981, there are only four routes operated by the Imaguan Maritime Service.

• Cuanstad-San Pietro
• Rutigliano-San Pietro
• Lapprodo-Nua Taois
• Nua Taois-San Pietro

Most routes are only operated three times a day in both directions between 5 am and 2 am, although the Cuantad-San Pietro route operates four times a day in the direction of Cuanstad, and the Rutigliano-San Pietro route operates four times a day in both directions.

Former routes

Until 1981, Imaguan Maritime Services operated nine routes, including the three current routes. They were:

• Cuanstad-Lundholm-Bellmare-Saint-André-Saint Fiacre's Town-Nua Taois
• Nua Taois-Knowleston-Bronstad-Cuanstad
• Knowleston-San Pietro
• Oniri-San Pietro
• Rutigliano-Oniri

Fleet

Interior of a ferry

The current fleet of the Imaguan Maritime Service comprises of five ships, with four assigned to serve on each of the four routes, and one to serve as a backup vessel in case one of the other four vessels breaks down or needs to undergo maintenance, or as a relief vessel if demand is higher than normal.

Since 2006, all Imaguan Maritime Service ferries are ninety-eight metre catamarans produced by TBD, each with ropax capabilities, as the catamarans offer space for up to 760 passengers and 200 vehicles. Each catamaran has a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h), which vastly improved travel times between the islands.

Current fleet

Name	Entered service	Route	Notes
HSC Dunhelm 3	2006	Lapprodo-Nua Taois
HSC Friendship	2004	Backup	Served on the San Pietro-Cuanstad route from 2004 until 2005, and the Nua Taois-Lapprodo route from 2005 until 2006
HSC Settentrionale	2002	Nua Taois-San Pietro
HSC Tramonto	2003	Rutigliano-San Pietro
HSC Unità	2005	San Pietro-Cuanstad

Former fleet

Name	Entered service	Withdrawn from service	Routes	Notes
MS Assiman	1954	1981	Rutigliano-Oniri-San Pietro
SS Dunhelm	1954	1973	Lapprodo-Nua Taois	Often called SS Dunhelm 1 as a retronym
MV Dunhelm 2	1973	2004	Lapprodo-Nua Taois
SS Imagua	1954	1963	Cuanstad-Nua Taois west coast	Often called SS Imagua 1 as a retronym
MS Imagua 2	1963	1981	Cuanstad-Nua Taois west coast
SS Knowleston	1954	1962	Knowleston-San Pietro	Sank during a storm in 1962
MV New Dawn	1964	1981	Knowleston-San Pietro
MV Oniri	1954	1976	Oniri-San Pietro	Often called MV Oniri 1 as a retronym
MV Oniri 2	1976	1981	Oniri-San Pietro
MS Saint Andrew 1	1954	1970	Nua Taois-Cuanstad east coast
MS Saint Andrew 2	1970	1981	Nua Taois-Cuanstad east coast
MS San Pietro	1974	2004	Cuanstad-San Pietro	Was called MS Saint Peter from 1974 until 1994
MS Unity	1954	1974	Cuanstad-San Pietro