For Immediate Release
MS Chi-Cheemaun to Enter Dry Dock Following 2026 Sailing Season
Public invited to watch Marine Evacuation System Safety Drill
Owen Sound, Ont. – With the 2026 sailing season concluding on October 18, the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC) is reminding passengers and community members that there will be no public fall repositioning cruise this year. The MS Chi-Cheemaun will sail overnight to Owen Sound, arriving in the harbour early Monday morning, October 19, before the vessel departs later that day for dry dock in Hamilton, Ontario. The scheduled dry dock period supports mandatory inspections and maintenance to help ensure the vessel remains safe and reliable for future sailing seasons.
Join us at Owen Sound Harbour on October 19 at 9:00 a.m. to watch the crew deploy the MS Chi-Cheemaun’s port-side Marine Evacuation System (MES). The exercise supports OSTC’s ongoing commitment to safety and emergency preparedness. OSTC staff and Georgian College marine students will participate as passengers while the MES is deployed and a Zodiac boat tows the life raft to shore. Everyone is welcome to watch!
Passengers can visit the ontarioferries.com early next year for information on the 2027 sailing schedule.
This is the final weekend to join us aboard the MS Chi-Cheemaun this season, with service between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island available until October 18. Whether travelling by motor home, commercial vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, or passenger, come out to enjoy the scenic crossing of Georgian Bay. For reservations and information, call 1-800-265-3163 or visit ontarioferries.com.
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About the MS Chi-Cheemaun:
As one of the most recognizable ferries in Canada, the MS Chi-Cheemaun continues to be an integral symbol of Georgian Bay and has carried an estimated 10 million passengers and three million vehicles, completing 24,000 voyages between Tobermory and Manitoulin Island since 1974.
About Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC):
The Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC), an agency of the Government of Ontario, plays a vital role in Ontario’s tourism and transportation system, overseeing the operation of four ships, seven terminals and dock facilities and administers contractor-operated seasonal air service. OSTC owns and operates the MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry, which provides seasonal service to community members, commercial clients and a large tourism-based ridership between Manitoulin Island and the Bruce Peninsula, sailing along the borders of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron. The MV Niska I, a landing craft ferry, provides vehicle, freight and passenger transportation services between Moosonee and Moose Factory Island on the Moose River at the mouth of James Bay. Additionally, OSTC operates the MV Pelee Islander and MV Pelee Islander II for ferry service between the mainland, Pelee Island, and Sandusky, Ohio.