[2] From 1851, when the Colony of Newfoundland took over the operation of the post office, the government contracted for packet boats.

In 1871 Grieve and Co. replaced Ariel with Leopard and Tiger, inaugurating northern and southern runs based at St. John's, to Battle Harbour in the north, and to Halifax in the south.

After 1877 the two-steamer coastal service continued with Bowring Brothers' Curlew and Plover, while Lady Glover ran in Conception Bay.

It recommended that an expert inquiry be held into the ferry services with a view particularly to the prevention of overlapping, more efficient and economical working and the readjustment of freight rates on a carefully planned and scientific basis.

Extensive budget cuts by the Government of Canada during the latter part of the 1990s led to a drastic downsizing of Marine Atlantic's operations, precipitated by the 1997 opening of the Confederation Bridge which replaced Marine Atlantic's most heavily used ferry service, the constitutionally-mandated ferry to Prince Edward Island.

That year also saw Marine Atlantic remove itself from the provision of coastal ferry services in Newfoundland and Labrador with the transfer of operations to the provincial government at the end of the 1997 shipping season.

In 1998, the company moved its headquarters from Moncton to St. John's, after briefly considering North Sydney and Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador.

In late 2004, the federal government announced the appointment of a three-member committee tasked with examining future operations of Marine Atlantic.

In 2010, Marine Atlantic announced that the Canadian government was planning to invest around $900 million in the ferry operations.

[6][7] MV Leif Ericson, purchased in 2001, is a significantly smaller and lower-capacity ferry than other vessels in the fleet.

Leif Ericson is 18,500 registered tons[specify] and 157 metres long, carrying 500 passengers, and 250 automobile-equivalent vehicles.

[13] In July 2021, Marine Atlantic ordered an E-Flexer on charter from Stena RoRo for five years.

[14][15] The MV Ala’suinu entered service in July 2024, and is capable of running on diesel, liquid natural gas or battery electric.