BC Ferries

BC Ferries Going Smoke and eCigarette Free

BC Ferries is pleased to advise customers that the company will be introducing a smoke - free environment in all BC Ferries locations, including terminals and vessels starting January 22, 2018 . This also includes the interior of all vehicles on BC Ferries property. “This new policy support s the health and wellness of our customers and our employees by reducing exposure to second - hand smoke ,” said Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ President and CEO. “ The policy aligns with other transportation services and ensures everyone using our services can breathe smoke - free air.” The new smoke - free policy applies to tobacco and any other substance including e-cigarettes, and is expected to reduce the number of complaints BC Ferries receives from customers related to second - hand smoke. BC Ferries will make regular announcements regarding the new policy on board the vessels and at the terminals, and will place signage on board the vessels and on shore as a reminder of th…

Assistance with New Regulations Restricting Passengers From Closed Car Decks

Tomorrow marks the implementation of Transport Canada regulations that restrict passengers from remaining in their vehicles on closed car decks. BC Ferries understands this change impacts customers that need to remain in their vehicles. BC Ferries wants to help where possible. Customers needing to remain in their vehicles should identify themselves at the ticket booth when they arrive, so BC Ferries can try and accommodate their request. BC Ferries’ staff at the terminals and on board the vessels will assist customers wherever possible with the new policy to ensure a smooth implementation. On larger vessels that have both an upper and lower vehicle deck, customers will be able to remain in their vehicles on the upper vehicle deck only. For customers with special circumstances that need to remain in their vehicles on these vessels, BC Ferries recommends they arrive at the terminal early, so staff can make every effort to accommodate their request. “We recognize …

BC Ferries To Ban Smoking on All Vessels and at All Terminals

BC Ferries announced today that as of January 22, 2018, the company will introduce a smoke-free environment on board all of its vessels and at its terminals. This coincides with National Non-Smoking Week, which runs from January 21 to 28, 2018. Last year, the Province amended regulations for no smoking buffer zones around any doorway, intake or open window to any public or workplace from three metres to six metres. Due to the physical space available from doors on the outer decks of BC Ferries’ large vessels and on the vehicle decks of smaller vessels, the new regulation means all vessels will need to become smoke-free environments. In reviewing our policy on smoking in remaining areas, BC Ferries is choosing to introduce a smoke-free environment on all BC Ferries properties, including vessels, terminals and other operations, to support the health and wellness of our passengers and employees. “BC Ferries made the decision to provide a smoke-free environment for th…

BC Ferries - New Closed Vehicle Deck Space Regulations

On October 11, 2017, BC Ferries will harmonize its safety practices with Canadian ferry operators relating to Transport Canada regulations that prohibit passengers from remaining in their vehicle on any closed deck on a vessel that is underway. Since 2007, BC Ferries has been complying with Transport Canada regulations by maintaining a continuous car deck patrol. BC Ferries and Transport Canada recently re-examined the policy and in an effort to coordinate safety practices will change the application of the regulation. On larger vessels with both an upper and lower vehicle deck, customers will still be able to remain in their vehicles on the upper vehicle deck. Customers with special circumstances may make a request at the ticket booth to be placed on the upper vehicle deck. Where this is possible, BC Ferries will try and accommodate your request. “The regulations relate to safety, and the safety of our passengers and employees is a core value for BC Ferries,” said Cap…

Salish Raven Enters Service Early - Queen of Nanaimo Out

BC Ferries’ newest vessel replaces Queen of Nanaimo starting Thurs., Aug 3 - BC Ferries announced today Salish Raven, the third of three new Salish Class ships will start service on the Tsawwassen - Southern Gulf Islands route on Thurs., Aug 3. Its inaugural sailing will depart Tsawwassen at 2:45 p.m. The company has worked diligently to fast track the ship into service to ensure smooth sailing for the remainder of the summer. “The 53-year old Queen of Nanaimo, which is set to retire from the BC Ferries’ fleet this fall, experienced a mechanical problem with the starboard controllable pitch propeller last week and repair plans continue for that the vessel,” said Mark Wilson, BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering. “Engineers have been unable to determine the root cause of the problem with the Queen of Nanaimo as yet, so we are focusing our crew resources into getting the new ship, Salish Raven, into service sooner than we had originally planned.” Sa…

Queen of Nanaimo Crew Rescues Seven After Mayday Call

Please be advised that the Queen of Nanaimo is currently operating 83 minutes behind schedule due to responding to a marine emergency. The vessel heard a Mayday distress call on their radio and aided in rescuing 7 people from a boat that ran aground. We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of this sailing delay. We request customers with reservations to check in at the terminals in accordance with the scheduled sailing times to maintain their reserved status.

BC Ferries Unveils Salish Raven Hull Wrap

Earlier this week at BC Ferries’ Richmond refit facility, the wrap adorning the hull of Salish Raven was unveiled to Musqueam First Nation’s Thomas Cannell, who designed the artwork that was revealed in February of this year. Coast Salish artist Thomas Cannell’s design depicts the beauty of the powerful, intelligent raven. His bold vision of this majestic bird certainly engages his audience with a new style of Coast Salish art. Salish Raven will enter service on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route later this fall. The vessel recently completed a 10,440 nautical mile journey from Gdansk, Poland. It features two car decks and has a service speed of 15.5 knots, powered by three dual-fuel Wartsila 8L20DF engines.

Travel Alert: All Queen of Nanaimo Sailings Out of Long Harbour Cancelled

2017-06-28 Update as of 10:30 am: QUEEN OF NANAIMO RETURNS TO SERVICE - Tsawwassen - Southern Gulf Islands: BC Ferries is pleased to advise that repairs to the Queen of Nanaimo are complete and the vessel will return to service tomorrow on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route in advance of the Canada Day long weekend. BC Ferries would like to thank our customers for their patience during the service interruption. Last week, the Queen of Nanaimo was temporarily removed from service as one of the vessel’s controllable pitch propeller systems stopped responding correctly due to an unknown system failure. The fault proved difficult to locate as the system is a combination of pneumatic, mechanical and hydraulic components. The ship’s engineers, along with internal and external specialized technicians, methodically replaced key components and made adjustments to both hydraulic and pneumatic control systems to rectify the fault. The cause of the failure was not a single iss…

BC Ferries’ Salish Eagle Officially Begins Service

Queen of Nanaimo to continue providing service to Southern Gulf Islands until later this year - The second of BC Ferries’ three new vessels, Salish Eagle, will officially commence service on Wednesday, June 21, at 9:10 a.m. on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route. Salish Eagle is the second of three new Salish Class vessels that are dual-fuel and capable of operating on either natural gas or ultra-low sulphur marine diesel. BC Ferries’ use of natural gas for these vessels will result in the reduction of an estimated 9,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, the same as taking approximately 1,900 passenger vehicles off the road annually. “After the successful introduction of Salish Orca in mid-May, we are very excited to introduce our second new ship, Salish Eagle, into service for our Southern Gulf Islands customers,” said Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ President and CEO. “This vessel will provide our customers safe and reliable service for years to co…

Long Harbour Terminal Shoreline Stabilization

Please be advised that BC Ferries will be conducting a shoreline stabilization project at Long Harbour Terminal. The work will commence on February 8 and is expected to be completed prior to March 3, 2017. The work will involve excavating equipment and delivery of rock fill during the project. All work will be limited to weekdays and will be carried out during daylight hours. There will be no impact to operations however customers may experience an increase in traffic congestion while accessing the foot passenger pick-up and drop-off parking area. BC Ferries has conducted an environmental assessment of the required work and all necessary precautions to protect the environment will be in place. BC Ferries would like to thank its customers and neighbours for their patience and understanding as we complete this necessary shoreline stabilization project.

First Peoples’ Cultural Council Announce Artists For Salish Class Vessels

BC Ferries, in partnership with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council, has selected three Coast Salish artists to create designs for the new Salish Class vessels. The artists being commissioned to produce artwork for the new ships are Darlene Gait from Esquimalt Nation for the Salish Orca, John Marston from Stz'uminus for the Salish Eagle, and Thomas Cannell from Musqueam for the Salish Raven. The vessels are named to recognize the Coast Salish as the original mariners of the Salish Sea. A call for artists was issued by the First Peoples’ Cultural Council last August, and Coast Salish artists were invited to submit their portfolios for consideration. From 37 expressions of interest, a jury of artist peers and BC Ferries representatives identified a shortlist of nine artists. Their decisions were based on artistic excellence, Coast Salish artistic style, ability to express the vessel names through artwork, ability to provide digital images for fabrication and ability to meet th…

BC Ferries Announces Names for New Ferries

Following a contest in which BC Ferries received more than 7,100 entries, a panel of judges has selected Salish Orca, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven as the names for its new intermediate class ferries currently under construction. Salish Orca will enter service on the Comox – Powell River route late next year. Salish Eagle and Salish Raven will begin operations in the Southern Gulf Islands in 2017. A panel of 12 judges comprised of representatives from local media, Ferry Advisory Committee members and BC Ferries’ employees selected the three names after reviewing the entries submitted during the Name a Ferry contest that ran from May 19 through June 9, 2015. The names Salish Orca, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven were chosen to honour the Coast Salish people and the Salish Sea where these vessels will operate. To celebrate Salish culture, BC Ferries is working with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council to select Coast Salish artisans to design artwork for the exterior and interior…

Foot Passenger Reservation Pilot Announced

Beginning tomorrow, BC Ferries will be implementing a pilot project to allow free foot passenger reservations for customers travelling from Tsawwassen to any island serviced on the Tsawwassen-Southern Gulf Islands route. Walk-on passengers can now guarantee boarding on a sailing to Salt Spring, Galiano, Saturna, Pender or Mayne Islands. Pilot to run May 1 – September 7, 2015 Details of this reservations offering include: Reservations offered for Tsawwassen departures only, space is limited Full fare must be paid in advance by phoning BC Ferries Customer Call Centre or with BC Ferries Vacations Fares are non-refundable, but are transferable to another sailing No fee for reservations, no fee for changes Reservations can be made up to two hours prior to desired sailing Customers must check-in a minimum of 40 minutes prior to scheduled sailing time “BC Ferries has heard from walk-on passengers of this route that they would like the option of making a reservation…

March Traffic on BC Ferries Up 5% Over Last Year

Year over year comparison shows vehicle and passenger traffic increases. Traffic is up on BC Ferries over the same period last year, with March showing increases of over 5 per cent for vehicles and nearly 4 per cent for passengers. In March 2015, BC Ferries welcomed an additional 51,937 passengers and 29,861 vehicles compared to March 2014. February was even better with increases of over 10 per cent for passengers and nearly 11 per cent for vehicles. “These numbers are very positive and we are optimistic we’ll have an outstanding summer for traffic on BC Ferries this year,” said Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries’ President & CEO. “Indications are that lower gas prices and a weaker Canadian dollar will combine to increase traffic this summer. We are also optimistic for the future with annual preliminary price caps set at or below inflation at 1.9 per cent from 2016 to 2020.” Tourism is rebounding from the economic downturn and it is expected to be a busy tourist season in B.C. Tra…

Vesuvius Terminal Trestle Repairs - Vehicle Length Restrictions

Please be advised that during April 17 to April 20, BC Ferries will be carrying out necessary repairs to the trestle at Vesuvius Terminal on Salt Spring Island. These repairs will require a portion of the trestle to be blocked off allowing for removal and replacement of the trestle decking and support beams. This project will require a temporary restriction to the following vehicle types while the work is taking place: • Any single combination vehicles over 10m or 30ft • Any vehicles pulling a trailer with either the tow vehicle or trailer exceeding 10m or 30ft Vehicles that exceed these temporary restrictions are asked to travel using the Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour route, or if possible travel on alternate dates. There will be no impact to our scheduled sailings and the majority of this repair project is taking place over the weekend to lessen the impact on our commercial customers. Please follow the direction of staff to ensure safe and efficient movement a…

BC Ferries Signs 10-Year Natural Gas Contract for New Long Harbour Ferry

BC Ferries is pleased to announce it has just awarded a long-term contract to FortisBC to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to fuel the three new intermediate class vessels that are currently under construction. The first ship is scheduled to enter service in late 2016, the second vessel by early 2017 and the third ship by mid-2017. By the time all three ships are in service, FortisBC will be supplying BC Ferries with 300,000 gigajoules of LNG per year. “We are pleased to collaborate with FortisBC, a safety leader in gas supply, for our new LNG vessels,” said Mark Wilson, BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering. “The use of LNG has both financial and environmental benefits and this contract will ensure we have a long-term, secure supply to power the new intermediate class vessels.” “BC Ferries has taken the lead as one of the first passenger ferry services in the country to use LNG,” said Doug Stout, FortisBC Vice-President of Market Development and External Relatio…

Construction Begins on New Intermediate Class Ferries

BC Ferries announced that the first steel cut for the first of three new intermediate class ferries (ICF) took place at the Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. shipyard in Gdansk, Poland last week. The event marks the construction start of the next new vessel in BC Ferries’ fleet and was recognized at a small ceremony with representatives in attendance from BC Ferries and Remontowa. Following an extensive competitive bid process, BC Ferries awarded the $165 million contract in July of 2014 to Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. to build three new vessels. These new vessels will be the first in BC Ferries’ fleet to operate as dual-fuel, capable of using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) or diesel fuel for propulsion and power generation. The first ICF is scheduled to arrive in August 2016. “Today is an exciting day for BC Ferries as we officially commence the physical construction of the first ICF, which will replace the 50-year old Queen of Burnaby on the Comox – Powell River route,” said Mark…

BC Ferries' Public Survey - Sailing Schedule Refinement Options

After conducting engagement sessions in the communities that would be affected by proposed sailing reductions across the coastal ferry service network, the provincial government has recently confirmed a plan to reduce sailings across a number of routes serviced by BC Ferries. BC Ferries will now implement these service adjustments to ensure new route schedules are in effect by April 28, 2014. BC Ferries is seeking public opinion regarding schedule options for all of the affected routes. Anyone interested in recommending a preference for one of the schedule options available for each route they utilize may do so through an online survey that will be made available from February 12 - 21, 2014. To review the proposed changes and to participate in the survey, please visit bcferries.com

BC Ferries

News Posts