Each of BC Ferries’ new Intermediate Class Ferries will carry up to 600 passengers and 145 cars. Community consultation on the ships’ interior design has led to improvements in layout and amenities.
They are some of the most recognized vessels in BC Ferries' fleet – the iconic Queen of Burnaby and Queen of Nanaimo – two respectable 50- and 51-year-old workhorses that have spent their lifetimes serving passengers from Nanaimo to Victoria and points in between. The hands of time are also at work, pushing these beauties closer to retirement.
While nothing can stop the inevitable effects of age, the powers at the helm of BC Ferries have launched a plan that will not only see these aging Queens replaced, but will help usher in a new era of service on our pristine West Coast waters. The solution is three brand-new Intermediate Class Ferries (ICFs) that are currently being built at the Remontowa Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland. Each is capable of carrying up to 600 passengers and 145 cars.
Mark Wilson, vice president of engineering at BC Ferries, was recently in Poland to check on the progress. "There is a lot of energy from the workers building these vessels and excitement continues to grow in B.C. in anticipation of the new vessels."
The first ICF is set to replace the Queen of Burnaby and sail on the Comox-Powell River route in the fall of 2016. Six months later, the second vessel will enter service to replace the Queen of Nanaimo, sailing on the Tsawwassen-Southern Gulf Islands route. A third ICF is slated to sail in shoulder and peak seasons on the Southern Gulf Islands route and will be used to relieve other vessels during the off-season.
For Wilson, who is eager for passengers to experience the ICFs' engineering upgrades, the vessels couldn't come sooner. "What really excites me is the significant improvement over the existing vessels that they are replacing and our ability to move to a new fuel for the fleet, which is liquefied natural gas (LNG)."
Compared to marine diesel fuel, now used to power most vessels, LNG is a greener and cleaner fuel source. Among the benefits, switching to LNG will cut carbon emissions by about 25 per cent, slash nitrogen oxides by some 85 per cent and virtually eliminate sulphur oxide emissions.
Other BC Ferries Spirit Class vessels – the Spirit of British Columbia (built in 1993) and the Spirit of Vancouver Island (built in 1994) – are already in the early planning stages of mid-life upgrades, including their conversion to LNG.
Overall, the shift in fuel also aims to reduce BC Ferries' operating costs and help stabilize fares, making LNG an anticipated win for passengers, too.
The inherent ability to use this fuel is just one ICF advantage.
Similar to BC Ferries' much larger "C-Class" ships, like the Queen of Cowichan – a 1,500-passenger vessel that regularly serves the Departure Bay–Horseshoe Bay route – ICFs also feature a clever double-ended hull design, which enables these vessels to shuttle between terminals without having to turn around.
The ICF's innovative new loading system, however, is expected to further boost route performance.
While passengers driving aboard a C-Class vessel are required to approach the car deck from either a sea level or an overhead ramp, the ICFs offer a simpler solution.
"Now, there is one new feature on the ICFs that is completely new for us at BC Ferries and it stands out to me as a special design element," says Wilson. "Single ramp loading allows drivers to transition to the vessel and have access to two vehicle decks."
So, how does it work? Ferry passengers will drive their cars onto the car deck. From there, the main car deck will slope up slightly and then flatten out; this section is where commercial and overheight vehicles will park. Passengers with small to mid-sized vehicles will get to experience the interesting part – a fixed deck accessible through hydraulically operated doors that allow drivers to access the lower parking area.
Not only are the hydraulically hinged doors an engineering feat, but Wilson also believes the system will improve efficiencies on board the ferries. "It should lead to more flexibility for multiport loading and improved turnaround times," says Wilson.
Overall, Wilson expects passengers will have a positive experience aboard the aesthetically appealing and amenity-enhanced ICFs.
"There's a lot of work going into the design and layout of the passenger accommodations and it's not only from our team. We have been working with local communities, so their input on the passenger experience through public consultation has been key," says Wilson, noting that the discussions have included BC Ferries' work with Ferry Advisory Committees – citizen groups appointed in co-operation with local governments, the Islands Trust and First Nations who consult with BC Ferries on matters spanning the corporation's day-to-day operations, planned improvements and broader policy-related issues.
He says collaborative efforts like these have led to a better layout of passenger seating, as well as improved access to a greater number of washrooms designed for people with mobility challenges.
From a crew perspective, the vessels are fully equipped with the latest gear, including a state-of-the-art navigation system, marine evacuation and safety systems, and top-of-the-line firefighting equipment.
Moreover, says Wilson, the introduction of these three ICFs is just the beginning – the first part of BC Ferries' transition to a simplified class-vessel strategy.
"Currently in the fleet we have 17 classes of vessels and this is our first major step in reducing those classes down to five or six. These first three vessels will be identical, and as we replace other vessels in the fleet of a similar size – they will be identical too," says Wilson. For BC Ferries and its passengers the bottom line is streamlined vessels with improved route performance.
The hopes are high for the much-anticipated ICFs, and although it is sad to say goodbye to the Queen of Burnaby and the Queen of Nanaimo, an era of leaner and greener vessels is expected to be warmly welcomed by passengers and the public, including nature lovers everywhere.
Ashley Redmond is a freelance writer for Morningstar Research Inc. and blogs for Huffington Post Canada.
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