The dual-fuel ship is one of three newbuilds on order at the Polish yard for the Canadian ferry operator
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Remontowa Shipbuilding cut the first piece of steel for the second of BC Ferries’ three new intermediate class ferries at its yard in Gdansk, Poland, on 10 April.
Part of the Canadian ferry operator’s vessel replacement plan, the 107m ferry will be able to run on diesel or LNG fuels and will accommodate 145 vehicles and 600 passengers. FortisBC has signed a ten-year contract to supply LNG fuel for the three vessels.
“These new ferries will not only reduce our impact on the environment, but will also bring us one step closer to standardising our fleet for better interoperability on all of our routes,” said Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries’ president and CEO. “Having these new ferries that are the right size for their routes will create greater efficiencies and in turn, save costs. We look forward to welcoming the new vessels into our fleet.”
BC Ferries’ first ship is scheduled to enter service in August 2016 and will replace the 50-year old Queen of Burnaby, which sails between Comox and Powell River. The second vessel will join the fleet in October 2016 and replace the 51-year old Queen of Nanaimo, which services the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route. The third ferry will debut in February 2017 to provide additional capacity on the Southern Gulf Islands fleet in peak and shoulder season, as well as refit relief across the fleet.