A local ferry refers to a boat or ship that transports people or vehicles across a short distance, typically within a small area such as a river, lake, or coastal region. Full definition
The first part of our trip was spent island hopping by local ferry to islands that have only been open to tourists since 2009. (neverendingvoyage.com)
The company originally began as a private businessman's venture but has since developed into a popular local ferry operator. (directferries.com)
There are local ferries for longer sea journeys and they run to and from all the major destinations, i.e. Krabi Town, Ao Phra Nang Beach, Phuket, Phi Phi Islands, Koh Lanta etc.. (dive-the-world.com)