By
Rebecca Gibson |
Canadian operator BC Ferries officially named its second and third Salish Class vessels at Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdansk, Poland on 2 June.
Salish Eagle was christened by sponsor Michelle Letourneau, currently a master on BC Ferries’ Southern Gulf Islands routes, while Salish Raven was named by Jodi Gaudet, chief engineer on MV Quinsam, which operates on the Nanaimo – Gabriola Island route. Both women have spent 20 years in the maritime industry.
“This ceremony marks a major milestone in the construction of our three new Salish Class vessels as they each take another step closer to entering our fleet,” said Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries’ president and CEO. “These vessels, named after the Coast Salish people and the Salish Sea, represent British Columbia’s rich coastal culture and heritage, and will serve coastal communities for many years to come.”
Built to accommodate up to 600 passengers and crew and 145 vehicles, the 107m Salish Eagle, Salish Raven and sister ship Salish Orca are dual-fuel ferries, enabling them to run on both LNG and ultra-low sulphur diesel. This is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 9,000 metric tonnes per year, which is equivalent to taking 1,900 passenger vehicles off the road annually.
The first vessel, Salish Orca, will be delivered by the end of 2016 and replace the 50-year old Queen of Burnaby on the Comox – Powell River route. Salish Eagle and Salish Raven will debut on the Southern Gulf Islands route in early 2017. All three are expected to remain in service for around 40 years.