A coalition of industry stakeholders is calling for increased capacity on the gulf ferry system through Marine Atlantic.
The coalition includes Hospitality NL, Municipalities NL, the Board of Trade, the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, the Retail Council of Canada, the NL Carriers Association, Akita Equipment, and East Can Transport Services.
They say they are pleased with Marine Atlantic’s decision to lease the A Nepita, but are concerned that the Crown corporation will fall short of meeting the demand for commercial and passenger traffic.
A Nepita (Photo via Facebook / Corsica Linea)
They argue that without a long-term solution, the province will continue to face “significant and persistent challenges” when it comes to the ferry service.
According to the group, the island’s vulnerability was on display over the holidays when weather issues combined with high demand to expose the “fragility” of the province’s shipping systems and supply chains.
This is especially true for the timely transport of perishable foods, they argue, noting that people in this province deserve the same level of access to those goods as others across the country.
The coalition is calling on the federal government to work with Marine Atlantic to develop a fleet strategy that meets the province’s needs.
The group is holding a news conference at the ALT Hotel at 11:30 a.m. VOCM News will be there.
