New Grand Manan ferry en route to N.B.

The wait for the new Grand Manan ferry is almost over.

The Grand Manan Adventure is finally en route to New Brunswick from Florida, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claude Williams announced Friday.

The $65-million ferry departed the Eastern Shipbuilding Group shipyard in Panama City on July 20, he said.

Delivery of the new ferry was delayed at the end of June when it encountered mechanical problems during sea trials in Panama City. The ferry overheated because of the failure of a pipe.

It's expected it will take the ferry slightly more than five days to make the trip to New Brunswick, Williams said.

When it arrives in Blacks Harbour, the ferry will undergo trials and provisioning as well as additional training for the crew before it goes into service.

"It is exciting news that the ferry and its crew are now on their way home to New Brunswick," Williams said in a release.

"The 82-vehicle Grand Manan Adventure will improve ferry service for Island residents and will also open up tremendous growth potential for tourism and other commercial operations."

The Grand Manan V and the Grand Manan will continue to operate between Blacks Harbour and Grand Manan until the new ferry begins service.

The province has invested about $68 million including $14 million in the 2011-12 capital budget in the construction of the vessel.