The Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ), a Quebec government corporation providing maritime passenger transportation, launched North America’s first liquefied natural gas-fueled ferry on July 13 with hundreds of passengers aboard. The MV F.-A.Gauthier was commissioned to maintain the marine link between Matane and Baie-Comeau by replacing the MV Camille-Marcoux. The impressive ferry is 133 metres (436 feet) in length and has eight bridges in all. The MV F.-A. Gauthier will also serve the Matane-Godbout link starting in mid-October – once the infrastructure work to adapt the Godbout terminal is completed. The ferry’s engines can run on either LNG or marine diesel oil and the propulsion system fully meets Emission Control Area (ECA) requirements.