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Transportation and Works
Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
January 11, 2011

Design Contract Awarded for Six New Ferries


Six new ferries for the intra-provincial fleet are one step closer to construction with the awarding of a design contract to Fleetway Inc.

“We are excited that design work is about to begin for these new ferries,” said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Transportation and Works. “We are committed to providing quality and effective marine services throughout the province and the completion of this design will move us closer toward new vessels to service some of our province’s most rural communities. The vessels will be constructed here in Newfoundland and Labrador which will benefit local industry and help employment.”

Five of the new vessels will replace ferries currently serving the following routes on the south coast of Newfoundland:
• La Poile - Rose Blanche;
• Francois - Grey River - Burgeo;
• Rencontre East - Pool’s Cove - Bay L’Argent;
• South East Bight - Petite Forte; and,
• Gaultois - McCallum - Hermitage.

The sixth new vessel will serve Williams Harbour and Norman Bay in Southern Labrador.

“It is great to see that the design work will now begin on these six new vessels for rural Newfoundland and Labrador,” said the Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Labrador Affairs. “I am especially pleased to note that once completed, a new vessel to serve Williams Harbour and Norman Bay will help support one of the primary objectives of the Northern Strategic Plan, which is to ensure improved transportation services in Labrador.”

Design work is expected to be completed by early spring 2012. A call for expressions of interest to construct the vessels is expected to be issued within the next few months.

“I am pleased to see that our government is moving forward with the design phase for these new vessels,” said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and MHA for Burin-Placentia West. “We are committed to ensuring reliable and effective ferry services for residents of our island and isolated coastal communities and this is indeed a positive step forward.”

“This new vessel design will lead to the replacement of all five vessels currently serving the south coast of Newfoundland and we certainly look forward to that,” said Tracey Perry, MHA for Fortune Bay - Cape La Hune. “New vessels will greatly benefit these isolated communities whose residents rely on marine transportation for travel and the delivery of supplies.”

Budget 2010: The Right Investments – For Our Children and Our Future allocated a record $1 billion for provincial infrastructure investments, for a total infrastructure strategy valued at more than $5 billion over the next several years. As part of this investment, $55 million is allocated in 2010-11 to continue with the vessel replacement strategy. Including the design of these six new vessels, the Provincial Government is currently engaged in various stages of work towards the construction of ten new vessels in total for the provincial service.


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Media contacts:

Roger Scaplen
Director of Communications
Department of Transportation and Works
709-729-3015, 697-5267
rogerscaplen@gov.nl.ca
John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
709-729-1674, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca

Andrew Tobin
Executive Assistant to
Hon. Clyde Jackman, MHA
Burin–Placentia West
709-729-7967
andrewwtobin@gov.nl.ca 
Donna Ivey
Communications Manager
Government Members Office
709-729-0898, 697-1424
donnaivey@gov.nl.ca


2011 01 11                                                     10:55 a.m.

 
 
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