Canadian operator expects ferry to return to service nearly three months following wharf collision

Canadian operator Northumberland Ferries (NFL) expects to bring one of its vessels back into service following a collision incident that occurred earlier this year.

In a statement published on Wednesday, November 13, NFL said the Ro-Pax ferry Confederation remains out of service but assured that repairs to its bow visor are "proceeding ahead of schedule."

NFL investigated the safety and feasibility of returning Confederation to service without the bow visor in place. An internal risk assessment was conducted to determine whether it was possible to safely return to service with one end of the main vehicle deck remaining open.

It was determined that this would create a safety risk of high consequence because this piece of equipment renders the vehicle decks watertight. NFL developed proposed control measures to mitigate this risk but the timeline to carry out further numerical analysis to meet Tranport Canada regulatory approval meant that the implementation of a solution would have corresponded with the visor repair.

The shipyard repair schedule shows work being completed by December 3, 2024. NFL said that, assuming this occurs, Confederation will return to service on December 6. If the remaining work is completed earlier, the ferry will return to service as soon as safely possible to do so.

On September 15 this year, Confederation collided with a wharf at Prince Edward Island.

The resulting impact punctured a hole in the ferry's bow visor, which then required immediate repairs and left the Nova Scotia-Prince Edward Island route without an available ferry for two months.