Marine Atlantic asks Coast Guard for heavy ice breaker help

Marine Atlantic is asking the Coast Guard for help dealing with ice in the Cabot Strait.

High winds are expected to thicken the ice between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland over the next couple of days.

The ferry service says the ice breakers in the Atlantic region right now just aren't tough enough to help out.

"The ice conditions over the past few days have become increasingly worse; it's slowing our vessels significantly. While we're making it through our vessels have been down to very low speeds trying to make its way through the ice," said spokesman Darrell Mercer.

That slow pace could add an extra six hours onto a crossing.

Mercer said ice conditions are expected to get worse as we head towards the weekend.

High winds are expected to bring thicker ice from the north of Cape Breton into the Cabot Strait. 

He said Marine Atlantic needs heavier ice breakers to help them get through that ice.

"Some of the smaller ice breakers that the Coast Guard has, they're probably equivalent to the abilities of our own vessels, so a larger ice breaker would have more success trying to break that ice apart and relieve some of that pressure that we're experiencing."

The Coast Guard said it has ice-class vessels in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Cabot Strait. 

"We are monitoring ice and weather conditions daily and [Canadian Coast Guard] ice experts will determine which assets are deployed, if appropriate, to assist marine traffic and other marine programs of CCG. Ice conditions throughout eastern Canada have been fluctuating this year due to shifting winds and storm systems in the region," a spokesman said.

"At present, none of the Marine Atlantic vessels are beset in ice and all have been operating unassisted."

If that changes, the Coast Guard could send an ice breaker to free any stuck ships. 

Rebecca Acton-Bond, acting superintendent of ice operations for the Coast Guard, has ​said they try to help Marine Atlantic as quickly as possible. 

"If the Marine Atlantic ferries do become beset, then they just send us a request and we send out our closest ice breaker."

Acton-Bond said tough compact pack ice is expected to drift into the Cabot Strait over the next couple of days.