Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is welcoming the addition of Marine Atlantic’s newest vessel, the A Nepita.
Yesterday, the Crown Corporation announced that it has entered into a five-year agreement with Stena to lease the vessel, which is expected to arrive in the province this summer and go into service this fall – after the high season.
Currently, the ferry is in operation in Europe.
Hospitality NL Chair John Devereaux (Facebook)
John Devereaux, chair of Hospitality NL, calls the lease “positive news” for the province.
However, he notes that the additional capacity from the vessel will not be available for the peak of the 2026 tourism season.
As part of ongoing discussions, Devereaux states that they are looking for clarity on whether the Leif Ericson will remain in service while longer-term capacity needs are being addressed.
Darrell Mercer (File photo)
Darrell Mercer, a spokesman for Marine Atlantic, says the call went out last September but they ended with only a handful of possibilities.
“We’re working with the Government of Canada on our fleet configuration but we need capacity now so we don’t have the option of building one as that would take several years,” says Mercer.
