Ferry

Ferry rides just became a lot more modern to-and-from Christian Island, as the Niigaan Enaazhek arrived at its new home over the weekend.

Translated as ‘Shine Forward’ from Anishinaabemowin and symbolizing progress and a bright future for the community, the custom-made double-ended Ice Class Super 1A vessel built in 2024 reached its destination on Saturday after a week of travel from Fraser Shipyards LLC in Superior, Wisconsin.

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The Gardiner Ferry, which serves a remote northern community to cross the Abitibi River, will remain in service for another year, while the Ministry of Transportation procures a backup vessel and aims to complete improvements to an alternate road by the end of summer.

“The Ministry of Transportation is committed to ensuring safe and reliable transportation for the Gardiner community,” spokesperson Tanya Blazina wrote in response to an emailed question from The Daily Press.

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The planned high-speed ferry between Bedford and Halifax will be delayed at least two years, the municipality says, because work is being held up by land negotiations.

The ferry is expected to eventually move people between Mill Cove in Bedford and the Halifax waterfront in just 18 minutes. 

All three levels of government committed $260 million in funding last year for two ferry terminals and five electric ferries, which were expected to be in place by 2028.

But municipal spokesperson Brynn Budden said Wednesday that work cannot move ahead until the "required land acquisitions" are in place. She said the provincial government is leading the land acquisition, but no money to buy these parcels has been spent yet.

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GILIMANUK, Indonesia — Indonesian authorities deployed navy ships and helicopters Friday in the intensified search for 29 people still missing almost two days after a ferry sank near the tourist island of Bali. But the search was later suspended because of poor visibility.

More than 160 rescuers including police and soldiers were involved in the search that resumed after being halted overnight because of poor visibility, said Ribut Eko Suyatno, the deputy chief of operations at the National Search and Rescue Agency.

Bad weather conditions

Three helicopters and a thermal drone had been involved in the search by air over the Bali Strait, while about 20 vessels and fishing boats were mobilized for the sea search, Suyatno said. As weather forecasts predict high waves and rough waters around the Bali Strait on Friday, he said at least three navy ships had been deployed.

Videos and photos released by the agency showed rescuers looking desperately from rescue boats in the waters, but no new survivors or bodies were found by Friday evening.

The search was suspended Friday evening because of bad weather and poor visibility, and will resume early Saturday, Suyatno said.

Suyatno told reporters late Friday that visibility was down to 3 kilometres (under 2 miles) from 10 kilometers (just over 6 miles) on Thursday because of thick fog -- that coupled with waves up to 2 1/2 metres (more than 8 feet) high and strong winds “were hampering our efforts in the second day of search.”

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Incat Tasmania says that construction of its newest 78-meter hybrid electric ferry is well progressed. The vessel is on track for operation in the first half of 2026 – perfectly timed, says Incat, for operators looking to enter service ahead of the Northern Hemisphere summer season.

Designed with low-emission operations in mind, the light-weight craft marks the next evolution in Incat’s electric ferry range,

It incorporatesg lessons learned from the world’s largest battery-electric ship, Hull 096, also nearing completion at the Tasmanian shipyard.

With flexible propulsion options – fully electric, hybrid, or generator-assisted – the vessel offers unmatched versatility for operators navigating the transition to cleaner energy.

Sized to replace the first generation of high-speed craft now approaching 35 years in service, the vessel is offered as a future-focused solution for operators needing sustainable, fast, and efficient transport

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Today, the MV Northumberland (formerly the MV Fanafjord) arrived in Canada. This vessel will serve the Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island to Caribou, Nova Scotia route.

The MV Northumberland was acquired by the Government of Canada as an interim solution to replace the former MV Holiday Island. The vessel will now undergo final refit work to prepare for service. This vessel allows for a safe and reliable two-vessel service between Woods Islands, Prince Edward Island, and Caribou, Nova Scotia.

From visiting friends and family to getting goods to market, Canadians and businesses in Atlantic Canada rely on safe and efficient ferry services to keep communities connected and build an economy that works for everyone.

The MV Northumberland is expected to be ready for service for the beginning of the 2025 operating season.

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After nearly three months out of service, MV Confederation could begin operating between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia again as early as Dec. 2, as long as final steps go according to plan.

At the monthly Belfast council meeting Wednesday night, Northumberland Ferries Ltd. general manager Jeff Joyce provided an update on repairs to the vessel's bow visor, a type of raiseable door. While MV Confederation is still under repair, Joyce said workers are running ahead of the completion schedule.

He said he can't provide a specific date for the ship's return to service because of the final repairs, tests and inspections that still need to be completed. However, Joyce said he is "quite confident" that the vessel will return to service by Dec. 2.

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The MS Chi-Cheemaun will celebrate 50 years in service in 2024, and a new commemorative book is planned to chronicle its history sailing Lake Huron.

Travelling between South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island and Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula, the vehicle and passenger ferry has run from May to October annually since its maiden voyage in September 1974.

It serves as an important transportation link for commercial traffic transporting goods between southern Ontario and the northern part of the province. But it's also a popular attraction for visitors exploring the area during the summer tourism season.

In celebration of its half-century milestone, Richard J. Thomas, an Owen Sound-based author and historian, is seeking stories and photos from members of the public, to be compiled in an anthology that will be released this spring.

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B.C. Ferries has issued a request for expressions of interest (RFEOI) to build up to seven new hybrid vessels to replace the aging members of its fleet. 

Spokesperson Deborah Marshall told CBC News the new vessels are expected to replace the C-Class vessels like the Queen of New Westminster and the Queen of Coquitlam that service major routes between Metro Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. 

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The federal government is paying $38.6 million to buy a Norwegian car and passenger ferry to replace MV Holiday Island, which was scrapped after an engine fire in the Northumberland Strait in 2022.

The government announced the price tag in a news release Thursday, three months after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed negotiations for MV Fanafjord during a visit to P.E.I.

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B.C. Ferries has withdrawn an application to electrify its six existing Island-class ferries, saying it will submit a new plan in coming weeks.

It also said it wants to buy four new electric-powered Island-class vessels.

No further information about existing and potential new vessels was revealed.

B.C. Ferries had won approval in 2021 from the B.C. Ferry Commissioner to electrify its Island-class ferries by using on-board batteries and installing up to nine land-based rapid-charging systems.

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The federal government is mandating the Norwegian owner of the Fanafjord ferry, slated to replace the Holiday Island on Wood Islands-Caribou runs, refit the ship’s liquified natural gas (LNG) engine with a hybrid diesel-electric.

Whether a local company will have a chance to complete the major work, and if a diesel-hybrid will emit more greenhouse gas than the ship’s current LNG engine remains uncertain.

“Changing out an LNG engine for a diesel engine, that’s a big production in work. You have to buy the engine, physically change out the engine and then change the whole supply to it,” said Jason Aspin co-owner of PEI-based company AKA & Associates. “That’s what our company does, so yeah I’d be pretty disappointed if they decide to do that in Norway.”

In his company’s hands, the contract would support jobs in both PEI and Nova Scotia.

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The three ferries must be identical to reduce maintenance costs and facilitate the movement of labor to operate the vessels.

New boats must allow for STQ Reducing its annual fleet operating budget by $3 million.

Electric vessels are a proven technology in Europe, according to Greta Bédard, interim president and CEO of the Société des traversiers.

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B.C. Ferries is preparing to order up to four new hybrid diesel-electric Island-class ferries to help alleviate pressure on busy inter-island routes. On Wednesday, the company issued a request for pre-qualifications so that B.C. Ferries can create a short list of shipyards. Yards have until Dec. 22 to respond.

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BC Ferries is looking for qualified parties to respond to a business opportunity to provide design and technical support services related to the evaluation of technical options and eventual development of a tender-ready design package. This work will support BC Ferries’ procurement process leading to the construction of BC Ferries’ New Major Vessels.

Organizations interested in receiving a copy of this design and technical support RFP are advised to contact Clarksons Platou Shipbroking by e-mail at James.Rogers@clarksons.com to request a copy of the documentation.

Key dates are:

RFP Published: February 17, 2022

Closing Date: March 31, 2022

Closing Time: 2:00 PM GMT