Ferries “green” not so economic that it

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The NM-Peter Fraser

Marc-André Gagnon

Friday, 8 December 2017 00:00

UPDATE
Friday, 8 December 2017 00:00

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The fuel savings expected with the new ships biénergie dearly paid for by the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ) does not appear at the rendezvous, deplores the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ).

Four years ago, the STQ has paid the wholesale price to obtain the NM-Peter Fraser, a ferry powered by diesel and electricity. The ship built in the Gaspé peninsula in 2012-2013 cost$ 10.2 Million to taxpayers. This is in addition to $ 750,000 in adaptation work of the wharves at Green island, where the ferry is in service seven months of the year.

The mp caquiste Donald Martel

“Waste “

Accused by marine experts of making a ” waste of public funds “, the corporation had advanced at the time that this new “jewel” hybrid would achieve “substantial savings” in fuel.

However, data obtained from the QAF show that the annual cost of fuel for the ferry which is a hybrid of the Green island (54 000 $ last year) is close to the ferry diesel Montmagny–l’isle-aux-Grues (57 500 $), whose construction dates back to 1980 and can carry four times more passengers, on a similar distance.

“The system biénergie, it is finally dust in the eyes, since it costs as much as an old ship diesel “, noted the mp caquiste Donald Martel.

Same thing in Matane

The savings do not seem to go to Matane, where the F.-A. Gauthier, a ferry Italian biénergie (diesel/LNG) of$ 175-Million in service from 2015, will cost less to supply than its predecessor, the NM Camille-Marcoux, a ship diesel built in 1974 that has been sent to the recycling last march.

During the last year of service of the Camille-Marcoux, the STQ had disbursed approximately$ 5 Million in fuel. Last year, the STQ has spent almost as much to power the F.-A. Gauthier.

Impossible, however, to know precisely how much the F.-A. Gauthier LNG and diesel. The STQ has not provided that the amount comprising the cost of diesel and LNG.

“Many factors must be taken into account in this type of comparison, particularly the motor power, tonnage and capacity of communication, it is therefore perilous to make such analyses,” commented Vicky Boivin, advisor-communication to the STQ.