 Since the ferry distance was 28 nautical miles and led outside the then territorial waters, the shipping company assumed a business model which, in addition to the ferry service and the management of fast restaurants and cafeterias, had a substantial sale of goods at tax-free prices.These so-called "butter cruises" ("Butterfahrten") contributed to a tourist boom around Gelting Bay.According to a decision by the European Union (EU) to stop the duty-free sales of goods within EU countries, not only did sales on board the ferry decline, but so did the number of passengers on the so-called butter cruises.