Société des traversiers du Québec
By Dane, March 4, 2009 in Marine Transportation Discussion
Location:Victoria, British Columbia
I am looking for info on Société des traversiers du Québec. There seems to be few detailed accounts of the history of the service on the web. I am very interested in what the name of the private operator that ran the Sorel - Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola ferry before STQ took over in 1978.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
webfil
Österreichische Spezialität
Location:Matane, QC
The STQ bought in 2012 a UK-made Griffon 2000TD hovercraft to link the airport in Pakuashipi with the village of Saint-Augustin on the lower North Shore. It can carry 16 passengers along with their luggage. The service is free, and 9 round trips are offered per day. The crew is composed of eight Saint-Augustin and Pakuashipi residents, who received from the STQ a specific hovercraft operation training.
The "ferry", named L'esprit-de-Pakuashipi (or The Pakuashipi Spirit; "the spirit of the dry river" in innu-aimun/french hybrid) operates directly from the YIF airport tarmac to a wooden stairway from april to december (that is, while the snowmobile trail is out). It can transport passengers on asphalt, gravel, water and ice (which it all does!). According to
, handling is quite sloppy on ground, but it is a charm on ice and water.
I am not sure whether this is marine, air or ground transportation. Whatever it is, this public transportation system is clearly the weirdest ferry, shortest air link or easternmost bus system in Québec. It replaces non-scheduled privately-owned and subsidized ferries, operated with smaller hovercrafts, jollyboats, etc.
Here's the spec sheet : http://www.traversiers.gouv.qc.ca/flotte/vca_lesprit-de-pakuashipi.php
The craft in action (photo : STQ)
The hangar, located on the airport grounds (photo : Saint-Gelais, Montminy et Associés, architectes)
TheAverageJoe
Location:Toronto East
Intresting find thanks for sharing
DavidW
Location:Winnipeg
Yeas. Thanks for sharing this interesting find.
The name of the previous operator is Lucien Lachapelle, as stated on the page of the vessel, the N.M. Lucien-L. : https://www.traversiers.com/fr/a-propos-de-la-societe/nos-navires/nm-lucien-l/
STQ service is suite problematic thèse times because of large ice blocs on the Saint Lawrence.
Québec-Lévis service was interrupted all throughout peak hour because N.M. Lomer-Gouin couldn't dock.
http://m.radio-canada.ca/regions/quebec/2015/02/19/011-traversier-lomer-gouin-pris-fleuve-glace-accoster-levis-quebec.shtml (French)
Coming soon to replace the other ferry.....
https://www.traversiers.com/en/a-propos-de-la-societe/les-navires/nm-f-a-gauthier/
Blue Bus Fan
Location:Vancouver, BC
Nice ship. What route is she going to operate? What vessel is she replacing? I am asking these question because I don't speak French and site is in French.
Workers went on strike today for an indefinite time. Service in cancelled on Québec-Lévis and Sorel-Tracy―Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola. L'Isle-aux-Coudres–Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, Tadoussac–Baie-Sainte-Catherine and Matane–Baie-Comeau–Godbout services are only to a strict minimum, as these crossings are deemed essential services.
The strike has ended service is back into normal service is back into play:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-ferry-workers-vote-ends-sunday-1.3299096
Ville de Repentigny is going to tender for the renewal of its Fleuve à vélo summer ped/bike ferry to Varennes and Pointe-aux-Trembles until 2018. The new schedule contains 4 daily round trips and 1 one-way.
2014 and 2015 seasons were operated by Navark, like other ped-bike ferries on the Saint Lawrence (Valleyfield―Les Coteaux―Saint-Stanislas, Longueuil―Parc National des Îles-de-Boucherville, Montréal―Parc National des Îles-de-Boucherville, Boucherville―Parc National des Îles-de-Boucherville, Lachine-Châteauguay)
When life gives you F.A.-Gauthier, it's hard to make lemonade.
STQ is experiencing major disruptions on its all-new CNG-powered ship operating on Matane―Godbout/Baie-Comeau services. Broken down compressors, fans, diesel tank, burned or damaged communication and electrical cables, door, ramp, toilet, life vest malfunction, unresponsive navigation instruments and out-of-service Voice Data Recorder; Société des Traversiers counted no less than 128 breakages/malfunctions since the vessel's inaugural trip. Moreover, the whole CNG propelling system is out of order, and the ship must use its diesel auxiliary power, burning over 200k$ of fuel per week.
Italian shipbuilding Fincantieri Castellamare Di Stabia delivered the F.A.-Gauthier June 24th 2015.
Source : Le Soleil
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/actualites/transports/201601/25/01-4943774-un-nouveau-traversier-de-175-millions-inonde-de-problemes.php
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/actualites/transports/201601/26/01-4944124-le-ministre-damour-se-fie-sur-la-garantie-du-f-a-gauthier-.php
Thanks for posting. FA Gauthier actually runs on LNG, not CNG.
Wow, I wonder if BC Ferries is going to have problems with the Salish Class and Spirit Class when they get convert to LNG.
Société des Traversiers CEO admits that, even though there are 128 "warranty trackings", "only" half of them were minor problems (such as doors, printer, lighting problems) ― meaning that other half was major. Technology used in the ship built by Fincantieri is so new that it has never been installed on other ships, and a 12 to 30 months trial period would be required for the ship to be fully functionnal. The state-of-the art ferry boat would be so technologically complex, that such a number of repairs was duely planned and Fincantieri personel is often in Matane to monitor and fix the problems
The 175 Million $, eight-deck mastodont still runs, albeit on auxiliary power. Only 3 departures were cancelled since June 2015. Warranty will end in June 2017.
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/est-quebec/2016/02/09/015-societe-traversiers-quebec-stq-jocelyn-fortier-gauthier-navire-bateau.shtml
Prince tag or the new, late delivered replacement ships for NM Armand-Imbeau and NM Jos-Deschênes is now of 225M$ (instead of the agreed 100M$). Delivery is postponed to an undetermined date, while it was contracted for 2015. Davie shipbuilding is half-dead but contracting it has always been a good voters bait, seen its crucial economic role for Québec south shore.
http://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/4c6c94ed-57cb-4f14-b6e2-ad3834ab2dcc|_0.html
A wave hit M.V. F.-A. Gauthier, severely damaging her (again). Insurance is expected to pay for the repairs (that problem is not covered by the warranty).
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1019799/vague-dommages-traversier-fa-gauthier
Other STQ news :
New Lévis terminal won architectural prize.
Picture : STQ
STQ announced fare reductions on many lines :
Free ride for electric vehicles ride maintained on all ferries;
Québec-Lévis and Sorel―Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola :
Free ride for children under 12 during winter;
10-ticket booklet for automobiles and small trucks now 60 $ (-15%);
Fare reduction for elderly (-6%), families (-13%), leisure trailers (-50%) and commercial vehicles (-50%)
Matane―Baie-Comeau/Godbout
Children category now up to 15 years old;
Leisure trailers now 80$ (flat rate) instead of linear rate
Fare reduction on return trips (-10%), groups (-10% to -15%)
There have been some jeopardy around here. For some reason, CTMA Voyageur (assigned to Matane / Magdalen Islands winter service) is docked at Verreault shipyard, CTMA Vacancier (ferry/cruise ship assigned to Montréal / Magdalen Is. / Gaspé summer service) has docked in Matane harbour last Tuesday, whilst F.-A.-Gauthier (assigned to Matane ― Baie-Comeau/Godbout) is not docked at Matane RoRo ramp.
F.-A.-Gauthier propulsion is still broken. The ship had to stop today 1 N.M. away from Matane port. It has been retrieved back home in late afternoon.
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1043065/traversier-fa-gauthier-panne-au-large-de-matane-bris-systeme-propulsion
F.-A.-Gauthier is back in service since this morning. Electrical wiring problems causing the propelling system to fault had forced the STQ to stop the service for 5 days in high season.
Is the STQ an economic shipwreck?
The ministry of Economy has decided to remove from the hands of the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ) the management of the contract for the construction of two ferry services granted to the shipyard Davie, which will cost finally two times more expensive than expected.
Radio-Canada : http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1048140/chantier-davie-societe-transport-quebec-litige-traversier-construction
Another break in F.-A.-Gauthier's propulsion system kept her ashore this morning.
F.-A.-Gauthier is at Verreault drydock in Les Méchins for "regular" maintenance... until May 26th! Until then, good ol' MS CTMA Vacancier will provide the Matane/Côte-Nord ferry.
ChristianT CC-BY-SA 3.0
On 4/25/2018 at 8:03 AM, webfil said:
Finally, MS CTMA Vacancier still did not leave Méchins and MS CTMA Madeleine is needed for Souris/Les Îles services... so no drydock bay nor replacement ship was available for Matane/Côte-Nord last week.
Ridiculously misadapted MS Félix Antoine Savard provided last week for the high sea route, that has had its schedule doubled to supply for demand. Many of these added departures were cancelled due to "strong" winds and "high" waves; Transportation Canada had emitted strict conditions for this ship to sail from Matane.
EDIT : Savard is still on duty. She was unloading vehicles today, next to her very big sister FA Gauthier.