It is past time for the federal government to consider replacing Confederation ferry, which broke down on Sunday for the third time in a month, says John Dalziel, naval architect and adjunct engineering professor at Dalhousie University.
Northumberland Ferries has cancelled Monday’s sailings between Wood Islands, P.E.I., and Caribou, N.S., and has not announced when they may resume.
Confederation is currently the only ferry available for that route.
The 50-year-old Holiday Island caught fire last summer and has since been scrapped. Its interim replacement, MV Saaremaa, is in dry dock and not due to arrive until mid-July. Confederation was out of service due to technical problems for a day on June 4 and for two weeks starting June 17. It ran for just a day and a half before breaking down again Sunday.
