It is one of two ships that will serve the Nanaimo Harbour to Gabriola Island route starting in 2022, replacing the 1982-built Quinsam. The replacement of the aging large ship with two smaller vessels will provide increased capacity and more frequent service, and have the result of decreasing vehicle line-ups and congestion on local roads effectively reducing the need to expand the size of terminal holding compounds.
Each Island Class vessel has the capacity to carry at least 47 vehicles and up to 400 passengers and crew.
The first two Island Class vessels arrived in Victoria in early 2020, and entered service in June on the routes from Powell River to Texada Island, and between Port McNeill, Alert Bay, and Sointula Island.
Work will continue in Romania on the new ship until sea trials in August, B.C. Ferries said Thursday. The vessel will then sail to Point Hope Maritime in Victoria later this year for final preparations. Victoria-owned Point Hope Maritime has signed a long-term agreement with Damen to provide technical and warranty services for the ships. The first two Island-class vessels came into service on the Powell River-Texada Island and Port McNeill-Alert Bay-Sointula Island routes in mid-2020. The next four Island-class ferries are scheduled to begin service next year. The third and fourth ships will provide two-ship service on the Campbell River-Quadra Island route, while the fifth and sixth will provide two-ship service on the Nanaimo Harbour-Gabriola Island route in 2022.
BC Ferries marks Earth Day with the launch of its sixth battery electric-hybrid vessel
BC Ferries is marking Earth Day today with the launch of its sixth battery electric- hybrid Island Class ferry, according to the company s release. The vessel entered the water early Wednesday morning at DAMEN Shipyards Galati in Romania. The yet-to-be named ship is the last in a series of six Island Class vessels joining the BC Ferries fleet. When in operation, it will be one of two Island Class vessels assigned to the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route.
Work will continue on the new ship until scheduled sea trials in August. Following successful sea trials, the vessel will be delivered to Point Hope Maritime in Victoria in late 2021 for final preparations. Two-ship service is scheduled to begin on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route in 2022, replacing the Quinsam.
BC Ferries marks Earth Day with the launch of its sixth battery electric-hybrid vessel portnews.ru - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from portnews.ru Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
VICTORIA BC Ferries is celebrating Earth Day with the launch of its newest hybrid-power vessel. The ferry fleet’s sixth diesel-electric vessel has entered the water in Romania and will be the last Island Class vessel to join the ferry service next year. The new ship is expected to serve the Nanaimo-Gabriola Island route in early 2022. The yet-unnamed vessel is scheduled for sea trials in August before delivery to Victoria later this year. “We are excited to reach this milestone in our Island Class project,” said BC Ferries vice-president of shipbuilding Jamie Marshall in a statement Thursday. “The launch of the sixth and final vessel in the series propels BC Ferries closer to reaching its goal to be efficient and environmentally responsible throughout the system,” Marshall added.