Transportation and Works
July 16, 2015

Reliable Marine Service for Communities and Families

Minister Launches New Ferry for Bell Island from Shipyard in Romania

The MV Legionnaire was launched yesterday (Wednesday, July 15), at Damen Shipyards in Romania and is now entering the final stage of construction. The new ferry will service Bell Island and is expected to arrive in the province in the spring of 2016.

"The launch ceremony for the MV Legionnaire in Romania is a significant milestone in the construction of this new state-of-the-art vessel. The MV Legionnaire will soon become an integral part of our transportation network in Newfoundland and Labrador, and will significantly improve our ability to deliver more reliable service to residents and businesses on Bell Island. This vessel is a prime example of our government’s commitment to enhancing marine ferry services for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians."
- The Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Transportation and Works

The new ferry will be an 80-metre ice-class vessel that has roll-on, roll-off capability and will accommodate up to 200 passengers and 60 vehicles. The ferry will also provide a more enjoyable passenger experience and will have increased capacity for operating in challenging ice conditions. A video of the launch can be seen here: //youtu.be/A7W_FeXMQag .

The MV Legionnaire has been part of major efforts to renew and modernize the provincial ferry fleet, with two new ferries already delivering service. Annually, the provincial fleet of ferries transports more than 900,000 passengers, 400,000 vehicles and 20,000 tonnes of freight across more than 50,000 arrivals and departures.

QUICK FACTS

• The new ferry to service Bell Island, the MV Legionnaire, was launched yesterday (Wednesday, July 15), from Damen Shipyards in Romania and will now enter the final stage of construction.
• The MV Legionnaire will have a capacity to carry 200 passengers and 60 vehicles and will arrive in the province in the spring of 2016.
• A video of the launch is available here: //youtu.be/A7W_FeXMQag
• The provincial fleet of ferries annually transports over 900,000 passengers, 400,000 vehicles and 20,000 tonnes of freight across more than 50,000 arrivals and departures.

High quality transportation infrastructure is integral to the social and economic growth of Newfoundland and Labrador which are key elements of the recently launched Population Growth Strategy.

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Media contact:

Jacquelyn Howard Director of Communications Department of Transportation and Works 709-729-3015 JacquelynHoward@gov.nl.ca

2015 07 16                              2:40 p.m.