One P.E.I. ferry out of service after crashing into wharf: NFL

One of the ferries that transfers passengers between Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia is out of service after crashing into a wharf.

A statement from Jeff Joyce, vice president of marine operations and general manager of Northumberland Ferries Limited (NFL), says the MV Confederation experienced what they believe was an issue with the de-clutching of the forward end braking propeller while it was entering Wood Islands, P.E.I., on Sunday.

The mechanical issue resulted in the vessel colliding with the wharf (dolphin structure) on approach for docking at the berth, causing some structural damage to the bow visor of the ship.

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There were no reported injuries, according to the statement.

Joyce says teams are working with local ship repair facilities to ramp up external support in hopes of repairing the vessel’s damage quicker.

As far as how long it will take to repair, including getting approval to operate, Joyce says that is still unknown. However, he estimates it will take at least one to two weeks.

“Service at NFL is reduced to MV Saaremaa I’s sailing schedule until the repair is completed,” said Joyce. “As a precaution, we are not accepting bookings for the next 14 days for MV Confederation, up to and including September 29.”

The MV Saaremaa 1 ferry will continue to operate on a four-trip daily schedule.

"This is a very unfortunate situation. We recognize the impact this has on our customers and the service and apologize for the disruption it is causing. We are doing all we can to fast track the repair to MV Confederation so that we can safely resume full two-vessel service as soon as possible,” Joyce said.

NFL says all customers with reservations for the MV Confederation up to Sept. 29 will be contacted to arrange a refund or re-book for alternate dates.

The company says an update will be provided once it has a better idea of the timeline it will take to finish repairs.

Updates will also be provided on NFL’s website when more information becomes available.

For more Prince Edward Island news, visit our dedicated provincial page.