The Damen 80m ice class RoPax ferry Veteran’s handover to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador (GNL) took place in St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada on 23 October 2015.
Launched by Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania on 27 March 2015, the vessel will start services from Fogo Island and Change Islands before the end of November.
Announcing the arrival of the vessel, Premier Paul Davis of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador stated: “The arrival of the MV Veteran is a proud moment for our province and the residents of Fogo Island and Change Islands.”
Veteran is the first of a two-vessel contract, with a design stemming from a Canadian-Danish partnership between Fleetway and Knud E. Hansen.
The sistership, Legionnaire, launched by the same shipyard on 15 July 2015, is scheduled for delivery in the spring of 2016. Legionnaire will operate on the short-haul route, the busiest route from Portugal Cove to Bell Island.
The 200-passenger vessels have roll-on, roll-off capacity for 60 vehicles, and unload passenger and vehicle traffic quickly. The 80.9m by 17.2m Veteran, with a cruising speed of 14 knots, will replace Earl Windsor (1975). The sister ship will replace Beaumont Hamel, which dates from 1985.
