Due to escalating costs of repairs associated with the refit of the M/V Inch Arran at Clarenville Drydock, the Department of Transportation and Works has decided to decommission the aging ferry.

The original anticipated cost of the refit was in the vicinity of $500,000 but estimates have since ballooned to approximately $2 million. Since the ferry was already slated to be decommissioned in one year, department officials felt such an investment was imprudent. The M/V Inch Arran had been servicing the community of Little Bay Islands before its scheduled refit.

Attempts to secure a replacement have not been successful, so in the interim the Hamilton Sound will continue to serve Little Bay Islands and the Island Joiner will service Long Island.  When ice conditions permit, the Island Joiner will proceed to the St. Brendan�s route.  At that time, the Hamilton Sound will serve both Long Island and Little Bay Island on a three- or four-point service, which will be determined in consultation between officials in the Department of Transportation and Works and the Little Bay Islands and Long Island ferry user committees.

Built in 1963, the Inch Arran was the oldest vessel in the intra-provincial ferry fleet.