New Bell Island ferry MV Legionnaire launched in Romania

The MV Legionnaire has beenlaunched in Romania, far away from the route it will serve near Bell Island.

A ceremony took placeWednesdayin Bucharest, where workers atDamenShipyards worked on what's described as a state-of-the-art vessel.

The vessel can carry200 passengers and as many as65 vehicles.

David Brazil, Newfoundland and Labrador'stransportation and works minister,was present forthe launch.

Braziltold CBC News there are still issues with paying federal tariffs, andsaid there are several arguments for exempting Newfoundland and Labrador from paying them.

"The Canadian government has already exempted five vessels for B.C. ferries, and we're saying based on that," he said.

"We're also based on the principle that under [the] Terms of Union, there were clauses there that no tax or tariffs would be on our ferry services, because we had taken that over," referring to the negotiated terms that brought Newfoundland into Confederation in 1949.

"That originally was controlled and operated by the federal government."

Brazil said he met with the Canadian ambassador to Romania this week, and is scheduled to speak with federal officials in Ottawa next month.

He added thathe's hopeful the federal government will waive the tariff.

The $50-million Legionnaire is expected to be on the Bell Island run in March2016.

It was named in honour of the country's veterans as well asthe 100th anniversary of the First World War.