Ferry Route Portland, Maine to Yarmouth NS Re-launch

The Province of Nova Scotia has signed an agreement with Quest Navigation, Inc. and ST Marine Ltd. to re-establish the Yarmouth-Portland ferry service. The cruise ferry service will operate under the brand name Nova Star Cruises & provide daily round-trip service within 24 hours, from May 1 to November 2, 2014.

As part of the agreement, the Province of Nova Scotia will provide Nova Star Cruises with up to CDN $21 million of financial support over seven years to assist the company with re-establishing the ferry service.

Nova Star Cruises estimates that more than 100,000 passengers will step aboard the brand new, 161-meter cruise ferry, Nova Star, in the first year of operation.

Nova Star will leave Portland each evening at 8 p.m. EST and arrive in Yarmouth at 7 a.m. AST the next morning. The ship will depart two hours later and arrive back in Portland at 5 p.m. local time.

"We would like to thank the Government of Nova Scotia, the Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism, the State of Maine, the Nova Scotia International Ferry Partnership and, in particular, the people of Nova Scotia for their confidence and support in ensuring the return of this vital service. We look forward to providing a world-class cruise ferry service for generations to come," said Steve Durrell, COO, Quest Navigation.

To stay informed about Nova Star Cruises visit www.novastarcruises.com