Hogia and Seastreak in breakthrough deal

Hogia Ferry Systems is implementing its market-leading BOOKIT reservation, ticketing and check-in solution under a contract with new client Seastreak, the US fast ferry operator. This breakthrough agreement further strengthens Hogia´s strong foothold in North America and also enables Seastreak to launch a state-of-the-art e-commerce platform.

Family-owned Seastreak runs a high-frequency commuter and excursions operation between New Jersey and New York, and a string of May to October tourist services in New England. With 1.5 million passengers per year stretching capacity, the company has just added a $13 million newbuild to its existing fleet of seven twin-hulled catamarans, three of which are being re-powered and refurbished in a further investment of $11m.

Seastreak director of marketing Brett Chamberlain says: “This is a much-needed investment. Our website does the job in attracting interest but we have had challenges converting that interest into online sales. Seamless transfer of data between our in-house systems and our e-commerce platform was critical to our decision. We met several providers but we were very impressed with Hogia’s heavy investment in the enabling API (application programme interface), a prerequisite for advanced web development. We also connected with their understated work ethic – they are family-owned like us and we simply trusted them to deliver.”

The Hogia solution will be the reservation platform to enhance Seastreak’s currently limited online support – there is limited facility onmobile devices, tickets have to be collected at terminals and commuter route boarding is on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Under the agreement, the new system will come on stream in two phases, led by the seasonal routes this spring and with commuter services scheduled to follow.

Hogia Ferry Systems managing director Niclas Blomstrom added: “We are exceptionally happy to enter this partnership with a like-minded company and look forward to playing our part in driving Seastreak’s long track record of growth.”