January 15, 1996
(Works, Services and Transportation)

The following is being distributed at the request of Marine Atlantic:

Increased schedule for seasonal Argentia service

Marine Atlantic will increase service on its seasonal Argentia route this summer.

When the service begins on June 21, it will have an additional weekly round trip and will also see the Argentia to North Sydney leg operate on an overnight schedule.

Marine Atlantic president Ron Morrison says the change will maximize the vessel's use and increase ferry capacity to Newfoundland on the eve of the Cabot 500 anniversary year.

Since joining the Marine Atlantic fleet five years ago, the Smallwood has operated on a twice-weekly schedule that saw her leave North Sydney early in the morning, and then remain idle overnight in Argentia awaiting the next morning's departure.

With the schedule change, the Smallwood will still depart North Sydney early in the morning, but will not tie up overnight on arrival at Argentia.

"With capacity to the island being a prime tourism concern, it is one we can address by keeping the Smallwood moving," Morrison says. "Therefore, instead of the Smallwood waiting overnight in Argentia, she will discharge her passengers on arrival, accept the outgoing traffic, and leave that same night for a crossing back to North Sydney."

This schedule will feature three weekly round trips on the Argentia service, instead of the two which have been in effect since 1990.

"The additional Argentia trip will increase our capacity to eastern Newfoundland, and the nighttime return trip will still enable the Smallwood to continue her supplementary role on the Port aux Basques service with the Caribou," Morrison says.

From June 21 to September 2, the 1996 schedule will see the Smallwood depart North Sydney for Argentia at 0700 three times per week, and then return from Argentia at 2330 for an overnight sailing back to North Sydney where the vessel will leave for a return trip to Port aux Basques.

From September 2 to 13, two weekly round trips to Argentia will be offered, and the service will conclude on the 13th.

This schedule will see a minimum amount of downtime on the part of the Smallwood during the peak tourism period, and the increase in Argentia trips will bring to 70 the total number of crossings for the season, up from 62 in 1995.

While the Smallwood has limited sleeping accommodations for an overnight crossing, the company plans to address this situation in both the short and long term.

Marine Atlantic has had much success on both the Caribou and the Smallwood with the installation of "dormitory sleepers", which are essentially quiet, non-smoking, supervised but public areas where passengers can purchase a berth for night crossings. The company intends to convert at least one of the existing seating lounges on the Smallwood to provide additional dormitory space during the vessel's current downtime in January and February.

Some existing seating will also be upgraded, with the company targeting a total of 750 berths or reclining seats.

"This is a concept which indeed increases capacity to the province, and we hope will serve the tourism sector well for the Cabot 500 anniversary year, and beyond," Morrison added.

Contact: Doug Burgess, Public Relations Officer, (709) 772-5731