Province shows off new MV Veteran

The province unveiled its new ferry today—the $50-million MV Veteran.

The vessel, which will service Fogo and Change Islands, docked in St. John's last week.

The high-tech ship can carry 200 people and 64 cars.

Transport Minister David Brazil said that passengers will notice a difference in the ship's reliability from the old MV Captain Earl W. Winsor.

"The Winsor is nearly 50 years old, there's issues around maintenance, there's issues around breakdowns," said Brazil.

He said that the MV Veteran will be able to handle much higher winds, have better manoeuverability and be better able to break through thick ice.

The ship is also wheelchair accessible, has a number of lounges and is more spacious.

"It also has more access for people getting in and out of cars," said Brazil. "You're not going to be rubbing against another vehicle."

Fred Chaffey, 87, was at the unveiling. He operated a ferry service on Change Islands in the 1947 to 1988 and said a lot has changed in the past 70 years.

"You should have seen the first one I had, a passenger boat," he said.

"...old school inspector's boat. Pretty cruel compared to this...The space down under, I couldn't believe it."

Crews are presently being trained on the new vessel and it is expected that the Veteran will be on the Fogo and Change Islands run by mid November.

Davis hopeful Liberals will waive tariffs

The province still owes $13 million in tariffs for importing a foreign-built ship.

However, Premier Paul Davis said that he's hopeful the tariffs will be waived once Newfoundland and Labrador has seven MPs on the government side of the house.

"So we know that when our MPs go to Ottawa they want what's best value for Newfoundland and Labrador, same as we do."

"I'm optimistic that their desire and their flavour and their sounds of cooperation and working through these kinds of issues is going to do well for us."