Marine Atlantic Accepts Delivery of the Ala’suinu

St. John’s, NL – Earlier today, Marine Atlantic took delivery of its newest vessel, the Ala’suinu. Over the next several days, preparations will be underway to prepare for the journey home. The vessel is projected to arrive at Marine Atlantic’s facilities in April. 

The Ala’suinu (pronounced Ah-laa-sue-in-ou), is a name that means “Traveller” in Mi’kmaq. The eagerly awaited vessel further builds upon Marine Atlantic’s commitment to the environment by reducing carbon emissions using battery power to complement the vessel’s efficient engine design. The Ala’suinu will also introduce measures to decrease underwater noise, reducing the impact on marine life. The vessel incorporates the latest Canadian accessibility standards and provides customers with a variety of amenities such as 146 passenger cabins (including 31 pet friendly cabins), 40 passenger pods, a variety of food service options, seating lounges, a children’s play area, and a kennel for pets. 

The vessel will primarily operate on the Argentia service this summer, connecting customers between Cape Breton and eastern Newfoundland, and operate between Port aux Basques and North Sydney during the fall, winter, and spring periods. 

Quotes 

“We are very excited to welcome the Ala’suinu to our service. With a focus on reducing our environmental impact, the latest accessibility features, state-of-the-art technologies, and enhanced customer amenities, I am confident our customers will be impressed with the newest addition to our fleet. I would like to thank the Government of Canada for their investment making it possible to add the Ala’suinu to our fleet.” 

Gary O’Brien 
Chair, Board of Directors, Marine Atlantic 

“I would like to thank our partners, Stena RoRo, for their dedication and commitment to ensuring the delivery of the Ala’suinu. Our charter period has now begun, and we will have the option to purchase the vessel after a five-year period. We are excited for the enhancements this vessel will offer our customers and I look forward to its arrival in April.” 

Murray Hupman 
President and CEO, Marine Atlantic 

“The Ala’suinu is a specially designed vessel for Marine Atlantic. In this vessel, another dimension of sustainability has been added to minimize underwater noise for the benefit of marine life off Canada's coasts. Multi-fuel engines and battery hybrid technology further contribute to minimizing Marine Atlantic's environmental impact.” 

Per Westling 
Managing Director of Stena RoRo AB 

Marine Atlantic is a Canadian federal Crown corporation tasked with fulfilling the constitutional mandate of offering freight and passenger service between the Provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. 

Media Contact: 

Darrell Mercer 
Corporate Communications 
(709) 772-0073 or (709) 727-2405 
[email protected] 

Per Westling, Managing Director, Stena RoRo AB 
Tel: +46 31 855154; +46 704 85 51 5 
[email protected]