Blue-Puttees

An air and water search was started for a woman who was believed to have fallen overboard from the 'Blue Puttees' as it sailed from North Sydney, N.S., to Port aux Basques, N.L., on the early morning of July 16, 2025. The 41-year-old woman was seen on surveillance footage at 3:26 a.m. NDT, and has since been reported missing. The JRCC in Halifax and theCoast Guard have been engaged to support a search by water. The woman was suspected to have fallen overboard. The RCMP have searched the vessel extensively upon the arrival in Port aux Basques, N.L., and did not locate the woman. A Hercules aircraft, a Cormorant helicopter and a Provincial Airlines aircraft were deployed to search the water south of Port aux Basques. As of July 17, tne Hercules aircraft remains on scene, as well as the CCGS La Poile Bay. The Coastguard ship 'Cape Roger' retraced the ferry's route between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

The "Blue Puttees" was Held outside of Port aux Basques near Codroy due to higher winds than forecasted on June 13, 2016. The vessel was expected to dock early in the afternoon as winds dropped and return to regular schedule as quickly as possible. She was expected to arrive in Port aux Basques at 7:15 a.m. and has a status of delayed on the Marine Atlantic website

Marine Atlantic announced on May 26, 2015, that it has purchased both the "Blue Puttees" and "Highlanders" which have been providing ferry service between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia since 2011. The vessel purchase was part of a $375-million investment into Marine Atlantic that was announced last month by the federal government. The purchase, at a cost of $100 million per vessel, would allow the Crown corporation to solidify its fleet for the future. The remaining money was to be used to cover the operating subsidy, and for other capital projects. Both vessels have been chartered from Stena for the past four years, serving the Port aux Basques-North Sydney route. The original deal in 2010 was for a five-year charter, with the option to extend for another five years, or purchase the vessels outright. In early February, Marine Atlantic announced it had renewed the lease for the "Atlantic Vision" until November 2017, at a cost of some $40 million. The actual announcement builds upon a previous five-year, $521-million funding commitment announced in 2010 aimed at renewing Marine Atlantic's fleet, and upgrading shore-based infrastructure and business processes. The investment resulted in improved vessel reliability, and increased vehicle, cabin and seating capacity.

Mechanical issues with the "Blue Puttees" has forced changes to the sailing schedule for the next 24 hours. The Port aux Basques to North Sydney sailing, which was expected to depart on Apr 2 at 11:45 p.m., was now scheduled to leave Newfoundland on Apr 3 at 11:45 a.m. The North Sydney to Port aux Basques sailing scheduled for 11:45 a.m. will not leave until 11:45 p.m. on Apr 3. The return ferry from Port aux Basques to North Sydney originally planned for 11:45 p.m. was to sail at 11:45 a.m. on Apr 4. Officials with Marine Atlantic encourage passengers to check-in no less than two hours from the time of departure.