Marine Atlantic, a prominent Canadian ferry operator, recently announced that it has entered into a partnership with Sweden's Stena Roro to optimize its route services further. The agreement involves the successful charter of an ice-class ro-ro ship for a five-year period, aimed at enhancing maritime transportation capacity between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. This newly chartered ro-ro vessel will replace the smallest ship currently operating on this route, providing more stable and efficient transport services for passengers and cargo.

It is reported that the chartered ro-ro ship has a gross tonnage of 30,600 tons and has previously operated in the Mediterranean region under charter, possessing extensive maritime transport experience. Built by HDW shipyard, the vessel was officially launched in 2002 under the name "A Nepita". Before joining the Marine Atlantic fleet, the "A Nepita" was chartered to Corsica Ferries, where it performed excellently.