Halifax ferry not expected to return to service until late February

A woman stands on the deck of the ferry Vincent Coleman at the terminal in Dartmouth, N.S. on Monday, March 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

A Halifax ferry will not be returning to the harbour as expected by the end of January.

Instead, Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) now expects the Vincent Coleman vessel, which broke down earlier this month due to a steering system issue, to return to service by late February.

As a result, the Alderney ferry will continue operating every 30 minutes on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. rather than every 15 minutes.

HRM said the Vincent Coleman vessel requires specialized replacement parts in order to be repaired.

“The delay in returning to regular service is due to the availability of these parts, and Halifax Transit is working closely with the international supplier who has confirmed that the necessary parts have been shipped from Europe and are expected to arrive in approximately two to three weeks,” said HRM in a news release Friday.

The municipality said once the parts are installed, the vessel will be thoroughly tested before returning to service.

HRM also noted the Craig Blake vessel, one of Halifax Transit’s five ferries, is also undergoing scheduled inspections and a significant repair, and will remain out of service until later this year.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page