The Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ) plans to invest $191.5 million to acquire three new electric vessels for the Isle-aux-Coudres and Sorel-Tracy crossings.
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Delivery of the first ferry is expected in 2029, six years from now, Transport and Mobility Minister Geneviève Guilbault announced during a press conference in Quebec on Monday morning. “These ships will be operational by 2030,” the minister said.
A tender will be published in the coming days to obtain the services of professionals who will be responsible for preparing the opportunity and business documents.
By opting for rechargeable electric vessels, the STQ estimates it will reduce its emissions by about 4,450 tons of CO2 per year, or the equivalent of about 1,000 gasoline-powered cars at the Sorel-Tracy crossing alone. Loyola.
relief ships
Once the three new boats are operational, the boats currently deployed at Sorel-Tracy and L’Isle-aux-Coudres will be used as support vessels on the government company’s other crossings.
Unable to count on such vessels, the STQ had to resort to the services of Croisières AML last summer to charter the AML Levant during the absence of the NM Lomer-Gouin, requested as reinforcements to maintain service between L’ Isle -aux-Coudres and Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, in Charlevoix.
The two ships crossing Quebec (NM Alphonse-Desjardins and NM Lomer-Gouin) are over fifty years old. They were built rapidly in the early 1970s after the construction of the Pierre Laporte Bridge and the creation of the STQ.
The two Tadoussac ferries have been replaced by two LNG-powered ships in recent years. They were supposed to cost $125 million, but the final bill came to nearly $324 million, or $200 million more.