The two ferries between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island will remain sidelined for even longer. The operator Northumberland Ferries confirmed on Tuesday that the NM Saaremaa will not be returned to service before October 19, while the NM Confederation will not be back before December 9, a few weeks before the end of the navigation season.
The NM Saaremaa is held at dock due to engine problems.
Repairs have been underway since September 22 on two of the four thrusters of the ship borrowed from the Société des traversiers du Québec.
The four engines of the NM Saaremaa under the magnifying glass
Northumberland Ferries reveals that other problems
appeared on the ferry’s other two thrusters. These issues could impact the reliability and performance of the vessel and must be corrected before the vessel is deemed fit for operation by regulatory authorities
explains general manager Jeff Joyce in a press release Tuesday morning.
The maritime carrier is therefore forced to postpone the return to service of the NM Saaremaa until October 19. This is the second time that the ship’s return to service date has been postponed.
Northumberland Ferries have contacted other ferry operators to see if any other vessels are available at short notice and unfortunately no vessels are available.
There will therefore be no ferry service between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island for the next three weeks. The Confederation Bridge remains the only link between the mainland and the island province.
Meanwhile, Northumberland Ferries reveals repairs to a bow of the MV Confederation could take another 10 weeks. The ship is in dry dock at a shipyard in Pictou, Nova Scotia, after colliding with a dock caused by a mechanical failure on September 15.
Welders day and night on the NM Confederation
Jeff Joyce says a return to service of the 31-year-old ferry will not be possible before December 9, with two crews of welders working day and night at the shipyard. However, he does not rule out the possibility of returning the ship to service sooner, if it is possible to sail it safely without the damaged bow.
Since the start of summer, the ferry service across the Northumberland Strait has experienced several interruptions due to inclement weather and mechanical problems.
These interruptions are a source of frustration and concern, both in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
It’s frustrating
laments Blair Aitken, president of the Eastern Prince Edward Island Chamber of Commerce. That’s more than three weeks without ferry service. This is in addition to the time already spent
he calculates. There are net costs for our members who have to travel greater distances. There are also indirect costs to the tourism industry, in particular, due to lost business opportunities.
The navigation season between the two provinces normally ends at the end of December.
HEADLINE: The ferries NM Saaremaa (front) and NM Confederation (rear) on August 6, 2022 in Caribou, Nova Scotia. Photo: CBC / Patrick Morrell
BY François Pierre Dufaultith information from CBC
