Strips can be cut from sheet styrene, you just have to cut carefully and do not apply too much pressure when cutting.
Depending on your pocket and how many benches you need to make, Evergreen make a whole range of strips in different dimensions with ranges from .25 right up to 3.2mm with 4, 4.8 and 6.3mm square bars plus more shapes and the like.
Plastruct makes shorter strips in mainly identical dimensions available in packs like Evergreen. The strips are slightly round edged and in some cases are pillow like and all have a matt finish. Their slection of rods are far superior to Evergreen in being round and lacking elongated bubbles inside them (The model kit sprue stretchers amongst us will know what I mean:O)
So, I hope the above info is of use to you Yannis. The ferry looks amazing, is it based on a Landing craft design?