Questions mounting as return of N.S.-P.E.I. ferry service delayed yet again
'How can you bring back the confidence of the travelling public?' chamber wonders
It will be beyond mid-October before ferry service between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia is restored, and the chamber of commerce serving eastern P.E.I. is growing increasingly concerned.
The seasonal service across the Northumberland Strait was shut down nine days ago following engine problems with MV Saaremaa, which is being leased from Quebec's ferry service for a third season.
That news came on the heels of MV Confederation colliding with the wharf on Sept. 15, leaving a hole in the bow visor and making the passenger and vehicle ferry inoperable.
"It's frustrating. I don't know what else to say. That came out of the blue," said Blair Aitken, the president of the Eastern P.E.I. Chamber of Commerce, in the wake of Tuesday's announcement.
Northumberland Ferries had hoped to have Saaremaa back in service as early as Wednesday, but on Tuesday, the company said the earliest return would be Oct. 19.
The ferry has four main engines, two eight-cylinder and two six-cylinder. The problems had been in the six-cylinder engines, but during repair operations all four engines were examined. Additional issues have been discovered on the two eight-cylinder variants that must be rectified prior to the vessel being deemed fit for operations by the regulatory authorities, said NFL general manager Jeff Joyce.
"This is obviously quite disappointing to our customers, stakeholders and it sure is for us as well. But what we're trying to do is make sure we're giving the public accurate and timely information so they can make decisions on their travel."
The current timeline for Saaremaa's return to service on Oct. 19 is dependent on further inspections and certifications.
Complicating matters, the lease contract with the Société des traversiers du Québec specifies that the Saaremaa is to finish service on the P.E.I. route less than a week after that to be back in Quebec by Oct. 26.
Confederation work begins
Officials initially said Confederation would be out of service until at least the end of September, but Northumberland Ferries also provided an update on those repairs Tuesday, saying the bow visor was removed from the ship and prepared for repair at the CME shipyard in Pictou over the weekend.
The repairs, replacement, testing, and certifying process are expected to take 10 weeks, with two shifts of welders and repair teams working 24/7 at the shipyard, Joyce said.
That would make the earliest return-to-service date for Confederation Dec. 9, about 10 days before the service is scheduled to shut down for the winter season.
Transport Canada owns the Confederation and other ships that have been used on the Nova Scotia-P.E.I. run, but Northumberland Ferries is responsible for operating them. The Saaremaa was drafted into service after the government-owned MV Holiday Island caught fire and was heavily damaged as it approached P.E.I. in July 2022.
The federal government has bought a Norwegian ferry to fill the gap until a new ferry still in the design stages can be built. However, a Transport Canada spokesman said in early September that MV Fanafjord's delivery "has been pushed to late fall due to essential work by the shipyard."
What can be expected down the road in terms of a reliable service and how can you bring back the confidence of the travelling public?— Blair Aitken
On Tuesday, Aitken said Northumberland Ferries had called the chamber asking for a meeting in the afternoon. Apart from once again expressing frustration, he said he would have some hard questions for the company.
The main ones: "What can be expected down the road in terms of a reliable service and how can you bring back the confidence of the travelling public?"
While politicians keep telling people about how important the service is, Aitken said the chamber is having trouble getting answers to basic questions.
That includes questions about the new ferry that the federal government has commissioned for the Northumberland Strait service. It was announced in 2019 and is currently due to be delivered in 2028. "Is the design for it ready yet?" Aitken wants to know.
Aitken has also heard rumours about problems with the retrofit of the Fanafjord. Are the rumours true? When will the Fanafjord be sailing the Northumberland Strait?
May use ship without damaged visor
Meanwhile, Joyce said the ferry company is exploring the feasibility of "temporarily and safely" returning the Confederation to service without one bow visor to get it in operation sooner.
Joyce said the operator has tried to find a temporary replacement for the service, but found no boats available.
It complicates matters for businesses like Morley Annear Ltd., a trucking company in Montague. General manager Scott Annear said he has loads of potatoes and grain headed daily to Halifax that will now have take a longer route over the Confederation Bridge.
"It's very disappointing," he said. "What I can do about it is not much. Yelling and screaming doesn't seem to help."
Federal minister repeats 2-ferry promise
In the wake of Tuesday's news, CBC News asked the federal government for an update on the status of the Fanafjord, and an explanation of why its delivery has been delayed.
A spokesperson for Transport Minister Anita Anand sent a statement that did not mention the Fanafjord by name.
"Service disruptions with the ferries between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia are unacceptable. Our government is fully committed to restoring the two-vessel service," the statement quoted Anand as saying.
"When Northumberland Ferries informed Transport Canada of further delays, I immediately spoke with both shipyards responsible. I personally expressed our government's deep concern with the lack of ferry service and the importance of fixing this as soon as possible. I stressed that residents and businesses in P.E.I. and Nova Scotia rely on this essential service," said Anand, who was born in Nova Scotia but represents the Ontario riding of Oakville.
"Transport Canada and I are pushing all involved parties to expedite and accelerate repairs to bring back safe, reliable ferry operations as soon as possible."