Marine Atlantic says minor issues with a new vessel is to be expected, but the issues plaguing the brand new Ala’suinu are more severe.
Captain Anderson Noel, director of fleet operations, says the vessel’s lengthy journey from China to Canada may have played a role in the problems.
The ship was originally supposed to take the route through the Suez Canal, but opted for a lengthier voyage along the Cape of Good Hope due to geopolitical tension.
The route change tacked about 15 extra days at sea for the vessel, which meant they had less time to carry out any work once it arrived in North Sydney.
The Ala’suinu did make a stop in Sri Lanka for maintenance in April, but Noel says those problems are not connected to damage found with the lubrication system.
The new ferry, which was supposed to set sail one week from now, remains on layby dock as repairs are underway.
Noel says they’re optimistic that work will be complete by their new start date, June 26.
The three ferries sailing the Gulf will pick up the slack while the Ala’suinu sits idle. All passengers are subject to changes to their itinerary and will be notified by the end of day today.