Fundy Rose to replace Princess of Acadia

The MV Fundy Rose is unveiled in Saint John on May 8, 2015.

The ferry that runs between Saint John and Digby has a new name.

The $45-million MV Fundy Rose will replace the MV Princess of Acadia. The new ferry was purchased from a private company in Greece and is currently undergoing a refit in Halifax.

The name, announced in Saint John Friday morning, is a combination of the top names submitted by Canadians as part of a public process launched earlier this year.

The first part of the name comes from the Bay of Fundy while Rose honours a woman who was born into slavery but relocated to Annapolis Royal, N.S. after her family escaped Virginia during the American Revolution.

Rose Fortune went on to develop a successful business transporting luggage from the ferry docks to Annapolis hotels and homes in a wheelbarrow.

Fortune also offered a wake-up service to ensure customers would catch their boat to Digby or Saint John on time, and became known as the first female police officer in Canada.

The MV Fundy Rose was built in 2000 by Daewoo Industries and measures 124 metres in length.

The government hopes to have the ferry up and running by the end of June.