N.L. ferries 'accidents waiting to happen,' expert says

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 already16 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."

Theconstant 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.