The captain of the Madeleine, Valmont Arsenault, can hardly hide his enthusiasm about the Spanish passenger ship MS Villa de Teror that will become the new Magdalen Islands ferry, Madeleine II. He said the new ferry is a real "Cadillac."

According to Arsenault, the ship is perfectly adapted to the needs of the local crossing in terms of instrumentation and on-board services, while having a greater boarding capacity.

After visiting the Madeleine II with the Coopérative de Transport Maritime et Aérien (CTMA) team in 2019, he will soon travel to the Canary Islands to repatriate the ship.

Arsenault gave his first impression in an interview with CFIM (in French):

The ship is also meant to be in good condition when concerning its maneuverability in ports.

He adds that he went to Quebec City to conduct tests in a simulator that proved conclusive. Arsenault says that the new ferry will be able to hold 50 per cent more passengers than the old ferry (Madeleine). The new Madeleine II will also be 10 feet winder and 60 feet longer.

Arsenault talking about the ship's details and dimensions (in French):

When the ship arrives to Canada, it will be retrofitted to meet national safety standards. Retrofit work includes insulation and heat tracing of drains and piping, replacement of fire stops, updating evacuation and safety plans in case of fire and adjustments to the electrical system.

It will also be necessary to apply a paint coating appropriate for winter temperatures and to make major adjustments to the loading ramps at the Souris and Cap-aux-Meules docks.