Ferry Tales

  An infrequent update on ferries in eastern Canada:

 1.  Société des traversiers du Québec 

As the STQ updates it ferry fleets the chartered Svanoy continues to operate between St-Joseph-de-la-Rive and Ile-aux-Coudres. The charter may be through Logistec, but the boat itself is operated by Canship Ugland with a crew made up mostly of Newfoundlanders. I understand that the charter is for five years.

 In order for the Svanoy to align with the wharf ramps, it has been fitted with "stand-offs". The boat only operates on a daytime schedule and must find another berth at night to keep the dock free for the other boat. That means travelling to Pointe-au-Pic, St-Siméon or Cacouna depending on availability.

The regular ferries on the run have much wider car decks, that align directly with the ramps.

The Joseph-Savard, one of the two regular ferries, has a narrow hull but the deck projects well outboard. It has gone into refit again at the end of this summer and the Felix-Antoine-Savard has returned to the route. 

 The Felix-Antoine-Savard also has the cantilevered car deck. It also has bow visor. (2024 photo)

2.  Traversier Rivière-du-Loup / St-Siméon

There is still some uncertainty about a shift of the south shore terminal to Gros Cacouna and delivery of  a new ice strengthened ferry.

Therefore the aged Trans-St-Laurent soldiers on, seasonally. Built in 1963, it is certainly showing its age, but operates quite reliably. ( Its engines were rebuilt a nimber of years ago, and it is in refit from January to April each year.) 

 The ship has received some minor modifications over the years, including the addition of hoistable car decks that can be used for smaller cars in peak season.

The most noticeable change however occurred during the 2024-2025 off season. That was the removal of the huge original lifeboats and davits from the boat deck.

 

They have apparently been replaced by inflatible rafts and evacuation slides, housed in grey boxes.

 

This has freed up additional deck space for passengers, but also allowed for the installation of a FRV (Fast Rescue Craft).

 

The last ship of the large Clarke Steamship company (now Clarke Inc), the Trans-St-Laurent still has a few years left in its contract with the STQ. In 2021 the STQ extended the contract until the end of the 2025 season (which would be January 2026) but that has been extended again and again and now goes to January 2028. That still isn't long enough in my opinion to build a temporary terminal in Gros Cacouna, nor to allay the fears of those concerned about the dangers to the beluga calving ground in the area.

The "new" ferry is to be the Saaremaa I a spare ferry operated by the STQ when other ships are out of service. It was "loaned" to Northumberland Ferries Ltd to cover the Caribou, NS - Wood Islands, PE service when the Holiday Island became a total loss due to fire in 2022, and when the Confederation damaged its bow door. The Saaremaa I is currently (as of today, September 16) in drydock at Pictou, NS.

It will be a stop gap until a newly built ship enters service - now due in 2031.  Also a new terminal will be built in the port of Gros Cacouna to suit the new ferry.

3,  Northumberland Ferries Ltd

The Northumberland entered service in the spring, joining the Confederation and seems to be working well. It is also a stop gap vessel until a new custom-built ship is delivered in 2028. (That sounds optimistic to me.)

 The ship operates as a double ender. It flies the Nova Scotia flag and Canada flag at what is the bow in the photo above, and the Prince Edward Island and NFL flags at what is the stern. The wheelhouse is amidships, and it has dual riding lights. The main difference is the diameter of the masts,with the larger mast "forward" in the photo above.

On departure, with no need to turn off the dock, the ship makes a quick getaway with the visor still closing.

 

As of August 1, 2025 the Canadian government reduced the fares by 50% while at the same time reducing the toll on the Confederation Bridge from $50.25 to $20. The federal government owns the ferries, and contracts with NFL to operate them. This explains the  port of registry of the ships.

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Scary Ferry Tales

 

 The Société des Traversiers du Québec (STQ), the Québec government ferry service, seems to be haunted with bad luck. 

Reference a recent post: the ancient Radisson built in 1954, completed its umpteenth rebuild at Industrie Océan and returned to service in Quebec City to allow the Alphonse Desjardins to go for refit. Once the Desjardins was taken out of service and its refit started the Radisson decided not to slow down as it approached the Quebec City dock and "alided" with the boarding ramp, puncturing its hull below the main deck level, but above the waterline. Four passengers sustained injuries characterised as minor, and the Radisson was removed from service. This leaves only the Lomer Gouin to operate the busy Québec- Lévis commuter service.

 The Radisson of today bears little resemblance to its orginal appearance (similar to its 1979 look in this photo. The entire superstructure has been replaced - some of it more than once.)

 This photo was taken prior to its most recent rebuild:

Of course the reason for the Radisson rebuild was to have a spare ferry for use when another vessel was out of service for refit or damage. (Doh). The Québec-Lévis ferry service and the two bridges across the river at Québec have become overtaxed but a new bridge or tunnel and its location have become a huge political hot potato in Québec. No decision is expected soon and there is a possibility that  Ottawa may step in with funds. (If so Halifax, which also needs a third bridge will have its hand out too. Halifax's brand new mayor (as of last night's election, October 19) is the recently retired [Liberal] Federal Member of Parliament from Halifax - he may know who to call - for now.

2. The Svanoy with is crew of Newfoundlanders has returned to Ile-aux-Coudres / St-Joseph-de-la-Rive to allow the Felix-Antoine-Savard to go for its refit. The Joseph Savard has now returned to full operation after its major refit.

 

2. The Société des Traversiers du Québec (STQ), and Halifax Transit have more in common than you might think. Both have been plagued with staff shortages to the point of having to cancel crossings. In Halifax it has meant limiting rush hour service to every half hour rather than every 15 minutes from time to time. In Québec it has effected the Tadoussac / Baie Ste-Catherine service across the Saguenay River. The short trip, which is the only reasonable connection to the lower North Shore region for cars and trucks is a vital link and lengthy waits when only one of the two boats is running are more than an inconvenience. (The alternative is about a 320 -350 km / 200 - 230 mile route via the City of Saguenay a.k.a. Chicoutimi.) 

In the case of Halifax its five passenger-only boats are able to keep up (depending on crew availability and operating mechanicals) even if one is out of service. That happens to be the case now as the Christopher Stannix has been in refit in Sambro since September 3.

3. Also in Québec ferry service there is a report that the contract between the STQ and Clarke Inc to operate the Rivière-du-Loup / St-Siméon ferry has been extended to 2028. That service operates the venerable Trans-St-Laurent (built in 1963 believe it or not), although a replacement is supposedly in the design stage.

 

More interesting however there may be a decision this fall on whether to move the south shore terminus to Cacouna, an underutilized port facility a few minutes downstream from the current Rivière-du-Loup pier.  The move would eliminate the cost of annual dredging at Rivière-du-Loup required to remove the large quantities of sand that build in each year. Having the terminal at Cacouna would also allow for year round service. The current operation shuts down from January to April. (A new ferry would have to be ice strengthened or better.)

There are mixed feelings about such a change as many businesses close to the Rivière-du-Loup terminal, such as eateries, accommodations and gas stations would suffer a major loss of trade and many might close.

4.  I neglected to mention in my last post on the subject that the new ferry for the Caribou, NS / Wood Islands, PE route, the Fanafjord ex Green Ferry has been renamed Northumberland in another sudden burst of creativity. The seventeen year old ship, intended as a temporary replacement for the Holiday Island was supposed to be in operation for the summer 2024 season. It is now is expected to make its wearying way across the Atlantic next spring in time for the late May resumption of the suspended service. The Northumberland is expected to last long enough to see a new ship delivered by Davie Shipbuilding in 2028. 

Amazingly the Holiday Island's sister ship, the Vacationland which became the Fundy Paradise was sold off to a Québec operator who planned to use it as dredge pumping station. When that plan fell through the ship was laid up in Quebec City and it is still kicking around - but very far from ever being returned to service as a ship.

With beautiful Mont Ste-Anne as a backdrop the "Scary Ferry" of the month is the Fundy Paradise as seen here in August:

 

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