News Flash

The Beaumont Hamel will leave in the morning to provide emergency replacement service to Fogo Island .

The Beaumont Hamel itself has been operating with monthly special extensions from Transport Canada and could breakdown any day itself.

Also the arctic ice is now a factor

The Fogo Ferry is limping to the dockyard for emergency repairs/servicing

The Hamilton Sound which is at the St. John's Dockyard will be deployed as soon as possible to provide the second vessel service.

This situation points to weak position and poor state of the Government fleet and ferry vessel refit planning.

Both the Beaumont Hamel and the Earl Winsor are overdue for refits. The Committee has been lobbying for months to have the refits done. The Government fleet is very aged pointing to the desperate need for a new replacement ferry.

As a result if another ferry breaks down the Hamilton Sound will be pulled from the Bell Island service and the Flanders will be left to run the service solo, with the hopes that the Flanders itself will not breakdown.

The case for a new ferry continues to build and ferry connected communities continue to be serviced by an inadequate and aged fleet.