Englishtown Ferry Receiving Upgrades

The Englishtown Ferry, the Torquil MacLean, will be sent to dry-dock for a refit this spring. The relief ferry, the Scotian, will service the Englishtown crossing while the Torquil MacLean is out of service.

"Working as Nova Scotia's busiest ferry, and operating in the tricky ice and current conditions of St. Anns Harbour, is hard on the Torquil MacLean," said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Geoff MacLellan. "By getting this work done now while the ship is relatively young, we'll extend the life of the ferry."

The Torquil MacLean will have its hull strengthened and streamlined. The ferry's engine and generator will also be replaced. The tender for the work was awarded to Aecon Atlantic Industrial in Pictou with a bid of $776,000.

Work on the ferry will begin after the ice is clear and the ferry can be moved safely from Englishtown to Pictou, which is anticipated to be around April. The overhaul is expected to take about eight weeks.

The Torquil MacLean was christened in 2008. It carries an average of 226,000 vehicles and 470,000 passengers a year. It is on Route 312 in Victoria County.

For more information about Nova Scotia ferries, go to http://novascotia.ca/tran/hottopics/ferries.asp .