The Wolfe Islander III is back in service after weeks of disruption, but uncertainty around the future of ferry service remains.
The disruption began Dec. 22, when the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) halted service on the Wolfe Islander IV due to what it described as a mechanical issue. In a statement at the time, the ministry said the ferry would be out of service while staff worked to resolve the problem.
To keep the route running, the Quinte Loyalist and the Amherst Islander II were brought in to cover trips between Wolfe Island and Kingston.
On Tuesday, Jan. 6, the ministry announced the Wolfe Islander III had completed a dry dock inspection in Hamilton and had begun its return to Kingston. The following night, the vessel officially resumed service, relieving both replacement ferries and restoring a 60-minute round-trip schedule between the Kingston and Marysville docks.
The MTO has not provided a timeline for when the Wolfe Islander IV will return to service. In its most recent update, the ministry repeated that “staff continue to work diligently to bring the Wolfe Islander IV back into service as soon as possible.”
