Northumberland Ferries vice president Don Cormier said MV Saaremaa 1 will remain in Caribou for the next seven to 10 days while it is assessed, although no date has been set for the vessel’s commissioning. Cormier said that during the tests they will primarily look at whether Saaremaa 1 fits into its docking facilities. “There is a small modification that needs to be done on the ship,” he said. “After that, it’s going to take a lot of effort to train our staff, to train all the crew involved to make sure these operations are conducted safely. And there are also some modifications to the passenger areas.” Cormier said the company has taken measurements to ensure the ship can dock at the Wood Islands and that Saaremaa 1 is “aligning pretty well”. Both ships can be seen in this drone shot. (Patrick Morrell/CBC) “Basically there are some legs that need to be adjusted somewhere,” he said. “We will undertake all the necessary plans and verifications with naval architects, that the wing we leave hanging from the ship does not impose any kind of structural problems on the ship. This will take some time.” The fender — which protects the sides of a ship — is expected to start on Sunday. Meanwhile, Cormier said personnel began training for duty during the ship’s voyage from Trois-Rivières, Que., on Wednesday. Northumberland Ferries is also working simultaneously to modify its food services for the equipment on Saaremaa 1. “The next few days will help, then we’ll probably be able to confirm more closely what date the ship will go into service. But certainly, we’re looking at a period of probably over a week.” Cormier said. “She’s been well maintained, we’re pretty positive about the ship’s prospects. But… we’re taking things one step at a time.” Holiday Island was shut down after a fire caused the evacuation of more than 200 people on July 22. MV Saaremaa 1 is owned by the Société des traversiers du Québec. It has a capacity of 110 vehicles and 600 passengers. (Patrick Morrell/CBC) MV Saaremaa 1 is owned by the Société des traversiers du Québec. It has a capacity of 110 vehicles and 600 passengers, compared to Holiday Island’s 155 vehicles and 399 passengers. MV Confederation, Northumberland Ferries’ other vessel, runs more daily crossings to pick up some of the slack.
