4:00pm NL Time Update on MV Blue Puttees and MV Highlanders

Following successful attempts earlier today to free itself from the thick ice being encountered off the coast of Cape Breton, the MV Highlanders arrived in Port aux Basques at approximately 2:00 pm NL time this afternoon. The vessel is now unloading and preparing to depart at 6:30 pm NL time en route to North Sydney.

With ice-breaking assistance from the MV Atlantic Vision currently en route to Port aux Basques, the MV Blue Puttees is once again moving through the ice en route to North Sydney. With no additional ice impacts, the vessel is expected to arrive at approximately 4:30 pm NL time.

The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Henry Larson will arrive in the area to provide ice breaking services through the next couple of days and is expected to arrive at approximately 8:30 pm NL time.

Customers travelling with Marine Atlantic over the next 48 hours may be impacted by schedule adjustments resulting from these severe ice conditions. Weather and ice conditions are changing hourly and therefore Marine Atlantic is unable to predict extended sailing schedules. For the latest information, customers can visit Marine Atlantic's website, www.marineatlantic.ca or call the toll free reservations line, 1-800-341-7981.

Marine Atlantic apologizes for this inconvenience and will provide additional updates as information becomes available.

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Media Contact:

Darrell Mercer

Communications

Telephone: 709.772.0073 or 709.727.2405

Email: [email protected]