With the MV Highlanders undergoing scheduled maintenance, the MV Atlantic Vision is currently servicing the route between Port aux Basques and North Sydney.
“The Atlantic Vision operates on the Argentia service during the summer but is used between North Sydney and Port aux Basques during the rest of the year,” clarified Darrell Mercer, corporate communications officer for Marine Atlantic.
In May of 2015 Marine Atlantic announced that the Crown corporation had purchased the MV Highlanders and the MV Blue Puttees for $100 million per vessel.
At the same time the lease on the Atlantic Vision, owned by Estonian company Tallink, was renewed until November of 2017, with the federal government contributing almost $40 million towards the lease.
“The current lease agreement for the Atlantic Vision provides for a one-year extension until November 2019 and we will be exercising that option this fall. We continue to work with the Government of Canada regarding future fleet configuration,” wrote Mercer via email.
Mercer also noted that the cost of the renewed lease has yet to be negotiated between Marine Atlantic and Tallink, but charter costs are covered by the Government of Canada.
The MV Highlanders is expected to return to service on Tuesday, June 12.
