Newfoundland Ferries

[Retrovision]

During the CBC broadcast of their news program "The National" the reasons for the poor state of Newfoundland's ferry system will be examined...

Tonight at 10pm on CBC, 9pm and Midnight on Newsworld

[Low Light Mike]

Peter's headline: "Newfoundland's ferries are past their 'best-by date'; are they dangerous?"

This speaks of the public run service, not Marine-Atlantic. These are the "Intra-Provincial Ferry Services", which are the red painted ships, of which some are named for battle-sites from The Great War.

www.tw.gov.nl.ca/ferryservices/Highlights.stm

---------------------

I'm not sure what prompted this news story. The reporter interviewed 2 "Ferry Consultants". The fleet's age varies from 16-47. Many appear to be small car/pax ferries, some that are single-end-load.

[Neil]

More problems in Newfoundland:

Businesses turn to airlines amid Marine Atlantic woes
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 8, 2006 | 2:49 PM AT
CBC News
Problems with the Marine Atlantic ferry service are causing problems with inventory and supplies, Newfoundland-based businesses say.Marine Atlantic has had problems with both the Caribou and Leif Ericson ferries over the last few weeks, with both vessels out of service for repairs.
As well, high winds disrupted the schedule last week to such an extent that Marine Atlantic stopped accepting reservations for three days.
The disruptions have prompted businesses to turn to airlines to handle freight, rather than rely on trucks.
"We do lose out because of the high freight costs, but that's all we can do," said Janet Tucker, whose Corner Brook flower shop is paying almost four times the shipping costs to receive stock for Christmas centrepieces.
Bob Delaney, owner of J.M. Delaney Lumber Co. in Stephenville, said waits of more than a week for freight have become common lately.
"We can't go on like this," Delaney told CBC News, adding his business has lost sales because of disruptions in the Gulf ferry service connecting southwestern Newfoundland with Nova Scotia.
"It's taken a longer time to get everything into our store, and it has been difficult, especially with the Gulf the way it is."
Marine Atlantic, a federal Crown corporation, says it is trying to restore full service on the Gulf through repairs and replacement vessels.
The company hopes to return the Leif Ericson to regular service on Thursday.
The ferry was pulled out of service on Oct. 26 after it suddenly lost engine power and collided with a concrete structure near the Port aux Basques wharf.



Engine failure prompts mayday from N.L. ferry
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | 5:54 PM NT
CBC News
Weeks after a public warning that an aging ferry would likely have a mechanical failure, the vessel's engine stopped off Newfoundland's northeast coast and forced the skipper to send a mayday.
Passengers and crew members prepared to abandon ship after the 43-year-old MV Inch Arran broke down near Little Bay Islands in Notre Dame Bay on Wednesday — only four days after the breakdown of another old ferry that was also criticized by consultants in October.
The 43-year-old MV Inch Arran broke down near Little Bay Islands in Notre Dame Bay on Wednesday.
(CBC) The report on the province's aging ferry fleet, prepared by BMT Fleet Technology Ltd. and released publicly on Oct. 6, singled out the Inch Arran for criticism and warned that it was at "high risk of major machinery failure."
Less than three weeks later, the Inch Arran's only engine quit amid rough seas and strong winds.
The 33.5-metre ferry was only about a third of the way on its journey from the Little Bay Islands when it began to drift toward rocks. The skipper lowered the anchor and put out a mayday.
"It's an accident waiting to happen, and just an act of God that it didn't go ashore this morning," George Wiseman, one of four passengers aboard, later said.
Life-raft didn't inflate
The six crew members aboard lowered one life-raft to the water but found it wouldn't inflate. A second one inflated properly.
Three fishing vessels from the area went alongside the ferry, ready to take off passengers if needed.
"It wasn't looking that good when we got there," said Colin Weir, one of three longliner captains who steamed out to help.
However, the ferry's crew was able to restart the engine and bring the vessel to port in Shoal Arm, Notre Dame Bay.
"They got off lucky here today," said Perry Locke, the mayor of Little Bay Islands, who credited the crew for how they handled what he described as a close call.
All further crossings have been cancelled for the time being.
St. Brendan's ferry broke down 4 days earlier
Another aging ferry, the MV Sound of Islay, broke down on Oct. 21, soon after being put into service as the replacement vessel on the run to the Bonavista Bay island of St. Brendan's.
The BMT report found that the Sound of Islay was also at high risk of machinery failure.
Overall, the consultants found that some of Newfoundland and Labrador's ferries are so old that maintenance is hampered because parts are no longer made for them.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government issued contracts in October to build two new ferries.
The BMT report recommended building at least eight new ferries, while streamlining the provincial ferry service to islands and remote communities.

My comment: Seems like it's a North American thing. Whether it's B.C., Washington, Alaska, Newfoundland, New England... we use our ferries almost until they drop before we replace them. Is it because we're attached to our old boats, or do we just not see the importance in renewing the fleets?

[Balfour]

well this makes BCF look good!

[Low Light Mike]

Here's a news editorial re Nfld's Marine Atlantic service....which evidently is Federally funded.
=================

tinyurl.com/2ujzeb
We need new ferries

Most of this summer's tourism season has been dotted with complaints about the Marine Atlantic Gulf service. The ferries schedule has been hit or miss, according to complaints this paper has received, and it's time replacing the aging fleet was made a priority in the nation's capital.

The so-called 'superferries' appear not to be so super anymore.

They have served the province well and delaying the inevitable just won't do any more.

Finding the millions of dollars, getting a design done, letting contracts will take years and years.

The present ferries are getting old and the continuous use is starting to take its toll.

It may not be a major issue in landlocked Ottawa, but it's critical to the people of this province.

It's high time this province's representative in the federal cabinet pushed the issue and go some results.

The Gulf ferry service has been deemed essential where labour negotiations are concerned and it's time politicians who control the purse-strings began to treat it the same way.

Getting tourists to and from the island it some degree of comfort is just one side of the issue.

Many of the goods used in this province arrive on the ferries and we can't afford to be faced with breakdowns and delays.

Replacing the ferries is an absolute necessity ...not just another line on a political wish list.
==========================

Edited to replace broken link (same reason as noted in a later post in this thread)

[Low Light Mike]

Here's some more indication of issues facing western Newfoundland / Labrador ferries.....which might sound similar to issues on our BC Coast....
---------------------

tinyurl.com/yu6sef

Letter to the Editor::
Link needs to be fixed

Herb Brown
Goose Bay, Labrador

Dear Editor:

Repeatedly, in our provincial newspapers, we read of our connecting ferries referred to as "our Trans-Canada highway". Far too often, residents and visitors to our province complain about the woes of this not-so-fixed-link with the rest of Canada.

For many, our ferries at the Cabot Strait or Hamilton Inlet, are the chosen points of entry or exit; too frequently for anyone's good, these are their points of frustration and aggravation due to inexcusable delays to choice destinations or routes.

How many people here at home, or from abroad, have taken our ads and invitations seriously, and tried to drive to or through Labrador or Newfoundland, only to be told that all ferries were booked (especially at Labrador ports), or were delayed?

How many tourists have we turned off or turned away due to our ferry link problems? Visitors have been to Newfoundland previously and wish to return, including Labrador in their "circle tour", second or third time around; they can drive to Goose Bay or Cartwright or Lewisporte, where there is only one ferry that takes vehicles and freight twice a week. The Sir Robert Bond is our TCH (in Labrador, we call it the TLH-Trans Labrador Highway, or "Freedom Road"). Invariably, this ship is filled and/or over-booked during our short summers.This does nothing to encourage people to take our advice or invitation seriously. In fact, the all-too-often comment heard here is: "Your ferry thing sucks!"

As a province, generally, and as a western Newfoundland and Labrador destination specifically, we need to quickly fix this broken link, or we can forever kiss our proud reputation of world-renowned hospitality goodbye.
===========================

Edited to replace link (the ':' symbol broke the original link)

[Mill Bay]

Aging Newfoundland and Labrador ferry fleet needs attention

Vessels are accidents waiting to happen, consultant says

St. John's (17 Jan. 2008) - A consultant's report says many of the vessels in the aging ferry fleet now serving Newfoundland and Labrador are accidents waiting to happen.

Ed Kent of the firm BMT Consulting says almost all of the ferries in the provincial fleet, plus vessels leased from private companies, pose significant maintenance challenges and need to be replaced.

"There's a bit of Russian roulette there," Kent was quoted as saying by CBC News. "You don't drive a 25-year-old car on the highway and not have it maintained."

In recent days, at least five ferries have been temporarily knocked out of service with problems ranging from engine failure and engine-room fire to a rope getting caught in a propeller. So far, the province has commissioned the design of two replacement vessels.

Kent says faster action is required. "They need to escalate their design. Fast-track it," he argues. "There's a very serious problem. I would suggest that the worst infrastructure problem the government has by far is the poor state of the ferry fleet."

www.nupge.ca/news_2008/n17ja08b.htm



N.L. playing 'Russian roulette' with aging ferry fleet
Last Updated: Monday, January 14, 2008 | 7:27 AM NT

CBC News

New and compounding problems with Newfoundland and Labrador's notorious ferry fleet underscore the need to build new vessels, a consultant says.

In the last two weeks, at least five ferries have been temporarily knocked out of service for problems ranging from engine failure to an engine-room fire to a rope becoming caught in a propeller.

Ed Kent, a consultant who has worked on the province's ferry system, said some of the vessels are simply accidents waiting to happen.

"There's a bit of Russian roulette there," said Kent.

"You don't drive a 25-year-old car on the highway and not have it maintained."

A report prepared for the government in 2006 showed that almost all over the vessels in the provincial government's fleet, as well as vessels it leases from private companies, pose significant maintenance challenges, with most already past the age when they ought to have been replaced.

The report, by the consulting company BMT, also encouraged the government to tackle a tough political nut — cutting the size of the fleet, and recognize that many of the small coastal communities served by the ferries have had steep drops in population.

So far, the provincial government has commissioned the design of two vessels.

Kent, who is also a member of a ferry users' committee on Bell Island, which had its ferry Nonia knocked out of service last week, said much more needs to be done.

"They need to escalate their design. Fast-track it," he said.

"There's a very serious problem. I would suggest that the worst infrastructure problem the government has by far is the poor state of the ferry fleet."

In addition to the Nonia, which has had a history of mechanical problems, the two ferries serving Grey River and Francois on the south coast have also had mechanical and structural problems.

A ferry on the Fogo Island run was out of service for a few days when ropes were entangled in its propeller — the same piece of equipment that collapsed last year — while the MV Apollo, which serves southern Labrador and northern Newfoundland, was docked after a boiler-room fire. No one was injured.

www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2008/01/14/ferry-roulette.html?ref=rss

[Low Light Mike]

So Newfoundland has a ferry named the Nonia...

It sounds like a "ferries of BC Forum" nickname for the NorAd !

[oceaneer77]

did i read the above correct.. a boiler room fire.. is she steam?? Any one have more info on the Apollo?

Oceaneer77

[oceaneer77]

It sounds like the Newfies should contact super birkmann at flensburger!!

Do you think a Nor Ad would work for them.. or a modified version?
It is Always faster and cheaper to have some one else do the design work.. and as you have all seen in the Turkish boats building to a design that you are familiar with is much faster!!

We could see Flensburger on both coasts?

oceaneer77

[Northern Exploration]

Hmmm sell the "Fat Greek Lady" as Herr Brinkmann calls her to the Newfies. For a bit of a profit and contract a NorEx sister ship. Hmmm.

The Marine Atlantic's two main ferries were built at Davie in Quebec (Smallwood and Caribou). The Ericson was bought used from Stena and built in Norway. The freighter they use Atlantic freighter came used from Asia. Joking asside the NorAd would not be big enough I think for this route. These ferries have been subject to typical delays for maintenance and service problems.

The big controversy surrounds the myriad of smaller ferries and ships that serve the various outports along mostly the Atlantic side and connects Newfoundland with Labrador. They are government owned/leased and pics and details are scarce. There are a mishmash of companies involved and it appears that there is a similarity to the contracts that BC Ferries hands out to service providers on behalf of BC.

The bigger vessels would Flensburger type ferries I would think.

Funny RV story showing the uncertainty of tourists and ferry comments. www.gaidus.com/rvtrips/trip_detail.asp?TripID=6&Stop=11

Map showing some of the ferry routes in the East.
tlhwy.com/travel/ferries.html

[yvr]

pnwtraveler said:

Hmmm sell the "Fat Greek Lady" as Herr Brinkmann calls her to the Newfies. For a bit of a profit and contract a NorEx sister ship. Hmmm.

From the above - Sell the Greek Tub for a small profit. Your probably joking. BCF would be lucky to get 35 - 40 million, a 63 million dollar loss!

[Northern Exploration]

Yes I had my tongue firmly planted in my cheek with that one. ;D

[Mill Bay]

oceaneer77 said:

did i read the above correct.. a boiler room fire.. is she steam?? Any one have more info on the Apollo?

Oceaneer77

With a prefix like MV Apollo I don't think it would be steam powered... I can't find any mechanical specs for it.
Maybe it has a steam boiler for heating purposes.

[Edit:] Her general specs are here... if anyone can read them.

www.faktaomfartyg.se/apollo_1970.htm

[oceaneer77]

ooops i should have said Nor Ex rather than Nor Ad..... my bad .. but an interesting thought

I think we are well and truly stuck with the sonia..

as for the apollo.. i had read the MV part of her name but most ferries don't have boilers.. just a FYI mill bay hot water heaters are called calorifiers not boilers as you don't want them to boil!

Most large merchant ships still have boilers (even the motor driven ones) to power the winches/pumps.. but ferries normally don't have the large pumps or winches to require this

[Northern Exploration]

I also think that Newfoundland Labrador needs to get real with its ferry promotion and do a decent website beyond just listing phone numbers. Make it easier for tourists to see/book and visualize the possibilities. Doesn't have to be cutting edge just easy to use, informative and enticing.

[Mill Bay]

oceaneer77 said:

ooops i should have said Nor Ex rather than Nor Ad..... my bad .. but an interesting thought

I think we are well and truly stuck with the sonia..

as for the apollo.. i had read the MV part of her name but most ferries don't have boilers.. just a FYI mill bay hot water heaters are called calorifiers not boilers as you don't want them to boil!

Most large merchant ships still have boilers (even the motor driven ones) to power the winches/pumps.. but ferries normally don't have the large pumps or winches to require this

Yeah, I was thinking in railway terms of something like a steam-heater car where they had a boiler to generate steam that was piped along the length of the train and used to heat the coaches.

[Low Light Mike]

tinyurl.com/2xhg8s
=====================
Provincial ferries ordered to keep a tight ship
Transcontinental Media

ST. JOHN’S — New safety regulations being imposed on the province’s ferry fleet will require all passengers to leave their vehicles during the crossing, thus making an emergency evacuation go much smoother should the situation arise.

Regulations will also include a total smoking ban.

Previously, some vessels allowed passengers to stay in their vehicles during the crossing — particularly on the ride from Portugal Cove to Bell Island. But, if there was a problem on the vessel, passengers would have difficulty reaching the life rafts.

Liberal transport critic Roland Butler agrees with the new regulations saying it’s an important safety issue for all passengers.

“A lot of days on those boats it’s not always smooth sailing and anything could happen, another vehicle could shift and you could get squat between the cars,” Butler says.

But not all passengers will be able to comply with the new regulations. Some vessels do not have elevators, meaning the passenger deck is not wheelchair accessible.

David Salter, media relations officer with the provincial Department of Transportation, says people with disabilities will be allowed to stay in their car during the ride — even though it is forbidden for other passengers. Their vehicle will be given extra space so the doors can open fully and another person will be allowed to remain below to help them.

Gary Gosine, Mayor of Wabana on Bell Island, says he fully supports the new regulations because they are in the interests of public safety.
========================

edited to replace broken link

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2008/04/21/byrne-ferry.html

Ferry unfair: MP rails against feds over Forces exclusion
Last Updated: Monday, April 21, 2008 | 7:59 AM NT

A Newfoundland and Labrador MP says it's unfair that a federal government tip of the hat to military personnel is not being extended to a Crown ferry service.

Via Rail is offering free travel on its trains in June to members and veterans of the Armed Forces, as a gesture of thanks for service to Canada.

Gerry Byrne wants a Via Rail program for military personnel and veterans to be extended to include Marine Atlantic.
(CBC) Gerry Byrne, the Liberal MP representing the western Newfoundland riding of Humber–St. Barbe–Baie Verte, said the same offer should extend to Marine Atlantic, the Crown corporation that runs the ferry service connecting southern Newfoundland with Nova Scotia.

"I can understand where Marine Atlantic would want to have some indemnification if they lose revenue as a result of this," Byrne said.

"They'll want to have that revenue replaced by the federal government. That's, I'm certain, the case with Via Rail."

Byrne said it is unfair that the gesture is not being offered in his province.

Byrne said, though, that the federal government does not support the idea. He said there is not much time left to extend the service to the ferries.

Via Rail runs trains between British Columbia and Nova Scotia. The rail line across Newfoundland was dismantled in the late 1980s.

[Scott]

Not a typical ferry, but a cargo ship/trailer boat that runs between Newfoundland and the French islands of St-Pierre-Miquelon capsized.

www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2008/12/02/placentia-search.html

Four people were missing Tuesday as search-and-rescue crews responded to a vessel that had capsized off Newfoundland's southeast coast.

The Cap Blanc, which had been based in the French islands of St-Pierre-Miquelon, had left the Newfoundland port of Argentia on Monday, and had been heading home with a cargo load of road salt. The islands are just south of Newfoundland.

Search officials said the 30-metre vessel had capsized in waters about four nautical miles off Marystown, on Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula.

An empty life raft had been spotted near the overturned vessel.

Relatives of the crew in St-Pierre were not commenting, and were holding an emergency meeting, a family member told CBC News.

A Cormorant helicopter was sent from Gander to Placentia Bay to look for the vessel.

A Hercules aircraft has been dispatched from Canadian Forces Base Greenwood in Nova Scotia.

As well, the coast guard vessels George R. Pearkes and W. Jackman have been sent to the area.

The Cap Blanc is one of two vessels that carry freight between Newfoundland and St-Pierre-Miquelon.

[Mill Bay]

I've recently discovered a series of articles beginning back in 2006 on the so called 'state' of the small inter-island ferries that provide local service to various smaller islands in NFLD and Labrador. It could be an interesting comparison to the various models for vessel replacement on our coast:

Also, here is a link to a VESSEL REPLACEMENT STRATEGY submitted to Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, March, 2006, by BMT FLEET TECHNOLOGY LIMITED:

www.tw.gov.nl.ca/publications/bmt_report.pdf

---

The fleet's 20 ferries range in age from 16 to 49.

N.L. ferries 'accidents waiting to happen,' expert says
Last Updated: Friday, September 29, 2006 | 9:13 AM NT


Days before the release of a government report on Newfoundland and Labrador's ferries, experts are warning that they're too old to be safe — often remaining on the water for more than a decade longer than their builders intended.

The province is due to release the report on the state of the fleet in the first week of October.

Isolated coastal communities in the province rely on the 20-ship fleet — but the newest is already 16 years old, while the oldest is 49.

Many have undergone extensive mechanical work over the years, such as the Sound of Islay, a 39-year-old ferry that has serviced communities such as Little Bay Islands and Pilly's Island in Central Newfoundland.

It was built for use in Scotland and was purchased second-hand by the province.

Dag Friis, a marine engineer at Memorial University in St. John's, said the ferries are out on the water long after they were designed to be.

"It's probably 100 per cent beyond its design life," Friis said. "The longer these ships are out on the waves, the more likely it is that metal fatigue will threaten the aging hulls — it's very much a business of chasing rust and cracks throughout the hull."

The constant upkeep and repair of the aging ships costs the government millions of dollars every year.

Ed Kent, a ferry consultant, warned that the vessels are becoming a hazard.

"All we have in this province is old boats, broken down and it's just an accident waiting to happen," Kent said. "The big concern is that these boats are worn, they're 10 to 15 years above their useful life."

The government has said there is no cause for concern because the ships are inspected by Transport Canada.

The province has said it plans to build new ships, but it will be years before they're on the water.

In the meantime, the people who live in the tiny communities that depend on the ferries wait for the provincial report.

[Mill Bay]

I've recently discovered a series of articles beginning back in 2006 on the so called 'state' of the small inter-island ferries that provide local service to various smaller islands in NFLD and Labrador. It could be an interesting comparison to the various models for vessel replacement on our coast:

Also, here is a link to a VESSEL REPLACEMENT STRATEGY submitted to Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, March, 2006, by BMT FLEET TECHNOLOGY LIMITED:

www.tw.gov.nl.ca/publications/bmt_report.pdf

---

Modernize, trim ferry fleet, N.L. advised
Last Updated: Saturday, October 7, 2006 | 8:03 AM NT

A consultants' report filed to the Newfoundland and Labrador government recommends cutting the number of vessels in the province's aging fleet of ferries and turning their operation over to a non-profit, private-sector organization.

Twenty vessels — most of them more than 30 years old — ply coastal waters off Newfoundland and Labrador, servicing island communities and isolated outports.

A study conducted by BMT Fleet Technology Ltd., which the Department of Transportation made public Friday, recommends cutting the overall size of the fleet by two vessels.

It also recommends building at least eight new ferries at local dockyards to replace notoriously old and unstable vessels.

The overhaul, which addresses perennial concerns about the safety and maintenance of the fleet, would also reflect rising industry standards on stability.

"We consider it probable that none of the vessels constructed prior to 1990 are likely to comply with the new requirements," the authors say.

Indeed, the youngest ferry in the fleet is 16 years old, while the oldest is almost 50 years old. On average, the ferries are about 33 years old.

The aging fleet along Newfoundland and Labrador's coastline has been flagged on numerous occasions and has been likened to vessels operating in Third World countries.

Some of the vessels are so old, for instance, that replacement parts are no longer manufactured.

The report also highlights the fact that the population of many rural communities has been declining, "in some cases quite rapidly."

The report said various ferry runs should be combined or reconfigured.

Changes will take time

Perry Locke, the mayor of Little Bay Islands, off the northeast coast of Newfoundland, is concerned that his community's service will be combined with Long Island.

"If they're going to cut two boats from the fleet, two communities are going to lose a ferry," Locke said.

"I'm very leery that we're going to be one of them."

Transportation Minister John Hickey said the provincial government has committed to build two ferries in 2007. He added, though, it will take time to make more changes to the fleet.

"The previous Liberal government didn't do anything about it and didn't put any investment in it. What we're doing and what we're saying is we're serious about this," Hickey said.

Hickey said communities affected by the provincial ferry service will have their say when public consultations are held.

[Mill Bay]

Engine failure prompts mayday from N.L. ferry
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 | 5:54 PM NT
CBC News

Weeks after a public warning that an aging ferry would likely have a mechanical failure, the vessel's engine stopped off Newfoundland's northeast coast and forced the skipper to send a mayday.

Passengers and crew members prepared to abandon ship after the 43-year-old MV Inch Arran broke down near Little Bay Islands in Notre Dame Bay on Wednesday — only four days after the breakdown of another old ferry that was also criticized by consultants in October.

The report on the province's aging ferry fleet, prepared by BMT Fleet Technology Ltd. and released publicly on Oct. 6, singled out the Inch Arran for criticism and warned that it was at "high risk of major machinery failure."

Less than three weeks later, the Inch Arran's only engine quit amid rough seas and strong winds.

The 33.5-metre ferry was only about a third of the way on its journey from the Little Bay Islands when it began to drift toward rocks. The skipper lowered the anchor and put out a mayday.

"It's an accident waiting to happen, and just an act of God that it didn't go ashore this morning," George Wiseman, one of four passengers aboard, later said.

Life-raft didn't inflate

The six crew members aboard lowered one life-raft to the water but found it wouldn't inflate. A second one inflated properly.

Three fishing vessels from the area went alongside the ferry, ready to take off passengers if needed.

"It wasn't looking that good when we got there," said Colin Weir, one of three longliner captains who steamed out to help.

However, the ferry's crew was able to restart the engine and bring the vessel to port in Shoal Arm, Notre Dame Bay.

"They got off lucky here today," said Perry Locke, the mayor of Little Bay Islands, who credited the crew for how they handled what he described as a close call.

All further crossings have been cancelled for the time being.

St. Brendan's ferry broke down 4 days earlier

Another aging ferry, the MV Sound of Islay, broke down on Oct. 21, soon after being put into service as the replacement vessel on the run to the Bonavista Bay island of St. Brendan's.

The BMT report found that the Sound of Islay was also at high risk of machinery failure.

Overall, the consultants found that some of Newfoundland and Labrador's ferries are so old that maintenance is hampered because parts are no longer made for them.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government issued contracts in October to build two new ferries.

The BMT report recommended building at least eight new ferries, while streamlining the provincial ferry service to islands and remote communities.

[Mill Bay]

Wear, tear cited in aging ferry's engine failure
Last Updated: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 | 7:11 AM NT
CBC News

The engine problem that prompted a ferry crew to issue a mayday off Newfoundland's northeast coast in October was due to routine use aboard the aging vessel, a review has found.

A Transport Canada investigation found that a connection between the fuel pump and the engine aboard the MV Inch Arran failed due to normal wear and tear.

The Inch Arran was built 44 years ago, making it one of the oldest vessels in a provincial government fleet that safety consultants — in a separate report completed last year — said is badly outmoded and in need of replacement.

Marine safety investigators with Transport Canada have determined the ferry's crew took appropriate actions during the incident, when the engine cut out and the ferry started to drift.

The ferry broke down near Little Bay Islands in Notre Dame Bay. The crew was able to restart the engine and bring the ferry to port.

There were no infractions under the Canada Shipping Act, the review found.

During the incident, a life raft did not fully inflate. The review found that the crew did not tug hard enough on the line that triggers the raft's firing cable.

The Inch Arran is just one of a series of ferries that have had maintenance issues in recent months. The Newfoundland and Labrador government has approved construction of two new ferries, and is considering calls for more.

A consultants' report issued just weeks before the Inch Arran incident found that ferry was at "high risk of major machinery failure" because of its age.

[Mill Bay]

New ferries get official launch
CBC News
Posted: Mar 14, 2011 2:02 PM NT
Last Updated: Mar 14, 2011 2:02 PM NT


The first ferries to be built in Newfoundland and Labrador in two decades have been formally dedicated.

The MV Grace Sparkes and the MV Hazel McIsaac, both of which honour two women who played pioneering roles in local politics, were christened Friday at the Kiewit dock in Cow Head just outside Marystown.

"We are now back into the shipbuilding industry here in Marystown and that is just terrific news," Darin King, the MHA for Grand Bank, said during the ceremony.

Politicians, shipyard workers and the families of Sparkes and McIsaac attended the ceremony.

Sparkes, though never elected, was a pivotal organizer for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1950s, and was an early and sharp critic of then-premier Joseph R. Smallwood.

McIsaac, a Liberal, made history in 1975 when she became the first woman to win a seat in the post-Confederation house of assembly.

The MV Grace Sparkes will provide service to St. Brendan's while the McIsaac will connect people living on Long Island and Little Bay Islands.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has been struggling for years with an aging fleet of ferries in its domestic service.

"The old ferries are very, very old. They are dilapidated and very long overdue," said Kevin Pollard, the MHA for Baie Verte-Springdale, the district where the McIsaac will be working.

"This is a great day for our district and a great day for our province," he said.

The government intends to replace eight other ferries in the coming years.

A consultants' report in 2006 found that the provincial ferry fleet was outmoded and in dire need of replacement. The youngest ferry at that time was 16 years old, the oldest was almost 50 years old, and the average age of a provincial ferry was 33 years.