Marine Atlantic’s newest vessel, the MV Blue Puttees, arrives in Canada

Marine Atlantic's newest vessel, the MV Blue Puttees , arrived in Canada this morning making Port aux Basques, NL, its first port of call.

"The arrival of the MV Blue Puttees is a very proud moment for us," said Rob Crosbie, Chair of Marine Atlantic's Board of Directors. "To stand on the dock in Port aux Basques and see the MV Blue Puttees arriving as a Marine Atlantic vessel is certainly a rewarding event for me and a very memorable occasion for all our dedicated staff who have been part of this process."

"We are very pleased to welcome our newest vessel, the MV Blue Puttees , to our fleet," said Wayne Follett, President and CEO of Marine Atlantic. "This was a very significant project and it is exciting to see all of our hard work become reality as the vessel docks in Port aux Basques for the first time. With the arrival of the MV Blue Puttees , we now mark another significant milestone in our transition towards a modern and efficient ferry service for our customers.

"This vessel is truly impressive and while value of service is a very personal decision, we hope the improved amenities, increased capacity and greater reliability will better service the needs of all our customers. We have listened to our customers and look forward to this vessel beginning its service with Marine Atlantic in the coming weeks," added Follett.

During the refit process significant upgrades took place to the interior of the vessel including new seating, entertainment systems and aesthetic improvements to all public areas of the vessels. In addition, major modifications were made to the exterior of the vessel to make it a positive addition to the Marine Atlantic fleet.

The MV Blue Puttees will depart Port aux Basques later this evening en route to North Sydney where crew training and familiarization activities will take place. A vessel open house is being planned and details will be announced at a later date.

"We continue to work hard to bring about change within Marine Atlantic. The Government of Canada's 5-year, $520 million investment is enabling us to implement our revitalization plans for our organization. We have already undertaken a number of initiatives to bring about positive change and make our fleet more modern and efficient for our customers. The arrival and subsequent introduction of the MV Blue Puttees is the latest improvement. I look forward to the continued changes planned for this Corporation over the next four years," said Crosbie.

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