After several weeks with no ferries crossing the Northumberland Strait between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia, one of the service’s beleaguered ships could return to service early next month, the company said Wednesday.
Northumberland Ferries Ltd. general manager Jeff Joyce said in a news release that MV Confederation is on track to resume crossings on Dec. 6, provided repairs to the vessel are completed on schedule.
The boat collided with the wharf in Wood Islands, P.E.I., on Sept. 15, leaving a hole in one of its raisable doors, or bow visors.
The company had been exploring bringing back the 31-year-old Confederation without its bow visor, but NFL said Wednesday that a risk assessment had determined that scenario “created a safety risk of high consequence because this piece of equipment renders the vehicle decks watertight.”
The company said in the news release that repairs to the bow visor are now ahead of schedule and expected to be completed by Dec. 3.
“Assuming this occurs, MV Confederation will return to service Dec. 6. If the remaining work is completed earlier than Dec. 3, MV Confederation will return to service as soon as safely possible to do so,” NFL said in the release.
When the boat returns, it will operate four round trips daily until the end of the sailing season on Dec. 20, the company said.
