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Bc Ferries News

22 Feb 2024

Virtual Marine: Simulator Training is the Real Deal

(Photo: Virtual Marine)

In the commercial maritime and offshore industries, where worker safety and competency are crucial, effective training practices are an absolute must. While hands-on, in-the-field learning will always be a vital component of any mariner’s training, marine simulation has become a welcome enhancement to the education process. And in some cases, it’s seen as a safer alternative to traditional survival craft and rescue boat training.A leader in this space is Virtual Marine, based in Newfoundland and Labrador.

16 Jan 2024

BC Ferries Awards Shipyard Contract for New Hybrid Electric Vessels

Š Elena_Alex / Adobe Stock

Canada's BC Ferries announced Dutch shipbuilding conglomerate Damen Shipyards Group has been selected to build its four new hybrid electric Island Class vessels.Damen, the same shipbuilder that built BC Ferries’ previous six Island Class ferries between 2020 and 2022, will construct the vessels in Romania, after its bid was selected from among several proposals received from around the world. No Canadian companies bid for the build program, BC Ferries said.The agreement is a design-build…

21 Sep 2022

BC Ferries Trials SkillGrader for Improved Crew Skills Assessment

(Photo: Marine Learning Systems)

BC Ferries is trialing Marine Learning Systems' SkillGrader mariner skills assessment application as part of ongoing efforts to advance passenger and crew safety. Developed by Vancouver software company Marine Learning Systems, SkillGrader is an enterprise solution that helps vessel operators quickly and objectively assess the skills of officers and crew, both in teams and individually. It replaces subjective and cumbersome paper-based assessments with a digital solution that runs on both tablets and mobile devices.

06 Sep 2022

Interferry Conference Set to Focus on Power and People Priorities

Š George Cole / Adobe Stock

Cutting-edge solutions to an unprecedented increase in human and technological challenges will be unveiled when global trade association Interferry stages its 46th annual conference in Seattle this October on the theme of ‘Power and People’.As Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan explains, "In a fast-changing operational and environmental climate, the ferry industry’s long-term success depends more than ever on two main factors. We need to attract dedicated people who are interested in pursuing a rewarding maritime career and help them achieve the qualifications required by our industry.

17 Dec 2021

BC Ferries Christens the Fifth Island Class Ferry

(Photo: BC Ferries)

BC Ferries revealed the name of its latest Island Class Ferry this week at a naming ceremony at its fleet maintenance facility in Richmond, B.C. Island Kwigwis is the newest vessel to join the fleet and will begin service in the spring of 2022, allowing for two-ship operation on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route.The name Kwigwis, which means "eagle of the sea," was selected with support from the 'Na̲mg̲is First Nation and celebrates the beauty of the journey and the important connection to coastal communities.

18 Nov 2021

Leading the Charge

Crowley’s new eWolf will be the first all-electric tugboat in the U.S. (Image: Crowley)

Alternatives to fossil fuels are emerging throughout the maritime universe, and vessels working in U.S. rivers, waterways and harbors are at the cusp on this trend. While the alternative fuels spectrum is wide, battery power and electrification—a technology that has seen a decade of shipboard applications already—is particularly suited for smaller vessels.Crowley Maritime Corp will be taking delivery of a completely electric tugboat, dubbed eWolf; the boat- which will include kit for advanced vessel control tied to an electric propulsion system from ABB…

12 Oct 2021

Study Reveals Ferry Industry’s Huge Economic Impact

Š luengo_ua / Adobe Stock

A study commissioned by trade association Interferry has revealed startling statistics on the far-reaching extent of the global ferry industry’s value to the world economy.Research into the latest pre-Covid full-year figures found that, in 2019, ferries carried 4.27 billion passengers – on a par with aviation – and 373 million vehicles across a worldwide fleet of 15,400 vessels. Among other findings, the industry provided 1.1 million jobs, contributed $60 billion to the world…

12 Oct 2021

A BC Ferries Case Study: Lessons Learned in Setting Underwater Radiated Noise Targets

Figure 3: Propeller cavitation simulation modelling. Source: BC Ferries

In a typical year, the waters surrounding British Columbia’s Port of Vancouver host approximately 3,000 deep sea commercial vessels and 19 of the 35 ferries operated by BC Ferries, one of the largest ferry operators in the world. These waters are also home to a wide variety of aquatic wildlife, including the southern resident killer whales (SRKW), which have been listed as endangered in Canada since 2003.With vessel-generated acoustic disturbances identified by Fisheries and Oceans Canada as one of four key threats to the SRKW…

13 Sep 2021

All-electric Ferries Depart Damen Shipyards Galati for Ontario, Canada

(Photo: Damen)

A pair of fully-electric road ferries are now on their way from Damen Shipyards Galati to Lake Ontario, Canada, to begin operations. Ordered by the Ministry of Transportation, Ontario, Canada, the Amherst Islander II and Wolfe Islander IV, 68 and 98 meters in length respectively, departed the yard on August 26 to be loaded on the semi-submersible transport vessel Super Servant 4 and will arrive in Lake Ontario in mid-September.Both of the open-deck vessels are equipped to be fully-electric…

28 Jul 2021

Transatlantic Journey: BC Ferries' New Hybrid Electric Ferry Reaches British Columbia (VIDEO)

File Photo: Damen

BC Ferries’ new Island Class ferry arrived late last week in British Columbia, Canada, having departed Damen Shipyards Galati yard in Romania on May 19.The vessel, temporarily named Island 3, arrived under its own power, after a 64-day, approximately 10,700 nautical miles transatlantic journey. The Island Class are battery-equipped ships designed for future full electric operation. The ships are fitted with hybrid technology that bridges the gap until shore charging infrastructure and funding becomes available in B.C.

18 Jun 2021

Batteries Installed on Auckland's New Electric Tug

(Photo: Damen)

Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam recently installed the batteries aboard a fully-electric Reversed Stern Drive tug being built for New Zealand’s Ports of Auckland.In total, some 2,240 batteries, totaling 2,784 kWh, were installed. With this, the RSD-E Tug 2513, named Sparky, will carry out two or more berthing/unberthing operations with up to 70 tonnes bollard pull on a single charge. Following, it will take just two hours for the tug to recharge to its full capacity.For redundancy purposes, the batteries are arranged in strings.

21 May 2021

The Shipping Industry Embraces Battery Power

Photo courtesy Flagships project

The past decade has seen tight restrictions on emissions from vessels, notably with a 2015 move to a .10% sulfur maximum in Emission Control Areas (ECA) in North America and in northern Europe. As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) now shapes shipping’s decarbonization future, shipowners are looking at transitions away from fossil fuels. Among the myriad of alternatives are lithium ion batteries and some early forays into hydrogen fuel cells.To date, large batteries are used on short runs…

25 Feb 2021

Fifth Hybrid-electric Vessel Launched for BC Ferries

(Photo: BC Ferries)

BC Ferries’ newbuild program continues with the launch of its fifth Island Class hybrid-electric ferries last Thursday at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. When in operation, the yet-to-be named vessel will be one of two assigned to the Nanaimo Harbor – Gabriola Island route.Work will continue on the new ferry until scheduled sea trials in June. Following 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 by early 2022…

05 Feb 2021

VIDEO: Profiles in Training - Mike Corrigan, CEO, INTERFERRY

Mike Corrigan, CEO, INTERFERRY

Mike Corrigan, the ubiquitous leader of Interferry, has a broad base of energy and maritime industry experience, including his stint as CEO of BC Ferries. Corrigan shares with Maritime Reporter & Engineering News his thoughts on a broad range of issues facing the ferry industry: COVID-19, emerging international regulations, and yes, maritime training and education initiatives throughout the world ferry industry.Looking back to your tenure atop BC Ferries, can you discuss this through a training and education lens?At BC Ferries, safety and training was an integral part of my role and passion.

06 Jul 2020

Five Zero Emissions Ferries Delivered in Copenhagen

(Photo: Damen)

Damen Shipyards Group reports it has delivered five zero emissions propulsion ferries to Arriva Denmark in Copenhagen. Arriva is operating the vessels on behalf of Danish public transport agency Movia. When Movia issued the public tender for waterborne public transport in Copenhagen, its aim was to upgrade the service, making it cleaner and more sustainable.The new Damen Ferries 2306 E3 make significant strides towards a zero emission service, reducing Copenhagen’s public transport NOX emissions by 2.5%…

19 Jun 2020

BC Ferries’ Hybrid-electric Newbuilds Enter Service

Island Aurora (Photo: BC Ferries)

Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries said its newest vessel, Island Aurora, officially entered service Thursday on the Port McNeill - Alert Bay - Sointula (Vancouver Island-Cormorant Island-Malcolm Island) route. This follows last week’s start of service for sister vessel Island Discovery on the Texada Island-Powell River run.The two new ferries are the first in the company’s new Island Class, based on Damen’s 81-meter Road Ferry 8117E3 design and built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.

04 Mar 2020

Wärtsilä to Supply Propulsion for BC Ferries Newbuild

BC Ferries’ Salish Class vessels feature Wärtsilä’s integrated propulsion system with LNG fueled Wärtsilä engines.(Photo: BC Ferries)

Wärtsilä said it booked an order in January to provide an integrated system consisting of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, dual-fuel engines and electrical propulsion system for the latest addition to Vancouver, Canada based BC Ferries’ series of Salish Class vessels.Three similar ferries, all operating on Wärtsilä engines fueled by LNG, have already been delivered. As with the previous three ferries, Remontowa Shipbuilding (RSB), located in Gdansk, Poland, will also build this latest ship.The Wärtsilä scope of supply includes three Wärtsilä 20DF dual-fuel engines…

02 Mar 2020

BC Ferries Names Two New Vessels

Photo: Damen

On February 19, BC Ferries held a naming ceremony for the first of its two Island Class Ferries at Victoria’s Point Hope Maritime. At the event, the names of the vessels – Island Discovery and Island Aurora – were revealed for the first time. The two ferries, based on Damen’s 81-meter Road Ferry 8117E3 design and built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania, will enter service mid-2020, serving the Powell River-Texada Island and Port McNeill-Albert Bay-Sointula routes respectively.The vessels sponsors were selected from the BC Ferries family  and the local communities.

24 Feb 2020

BC Ferries' Newbuilds Ready for Trials

(Photo: SAAM Towage Canada)

SAAM Towage Canada transported BC Ferries’ first two electric hybrid ferries from Ogden Point to Point Hope Maritime, where inspection and final testing will be conducted.Scheduled to begin operating mid-year, the ferries have 300-person, 47-vehicle capacity and feature low CO2 and noise emissions.The crews of the tugs Salish and Hyack were in charge of the operation, which spanned 80 nautical miles and lasted close to 26 hours from port to port.(Photo: SAAM Towage Canada)

24 Feb 2020

Corvus to Supply ESS for BC Ferries Newbuilds

Corvus Energy batteries will be installed on another four of BC Ferries’ new Island Class hybrid ferries under construction at Damen Shipyards. (Image: Corvus Energy)

Corvus Energy reports it has been selected by Damen Shipyards to supply the energy storage system (ESS) for four new battery-hybrid ferries for BC Ferries.BC Ferries placed a repeat order with Damen Shipyards Group for four Damen Road Ferries 8117 E3 design—known by BC Ferries as the 'Island Class' vessels. The diesel-electric hybrid ferries are prepared for fully battery-powered, zero-emissions operation in the future. Until electrical charging systems are in place, the ferries…

03 Feb 2020

BC Ferries Orders LNG-powered Ferry

BC Ferries has awarded Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. a contract to build an additional liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled vessel scheduled to go into service in the Southern Gulf Islands in 2022.This vessel will be identical to the three Salish Class vessels built by Remontowa for BC Ferries in 2016.“Our Clean Futures Plan is our path to replace diesel fuels with clean erenergy options. While this cannot be achieved in a single step, we arecontinually seeking energy sources that offer a cleaner…

22 Jan 2020

Ferry Industry Sets Pace on Critical Solutions

(Photo: BC Ferries)

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan describes a distinctly upbeat period in the worldwide ferry community – and explains how the global trade association plans to take its support to far-reaching new levels.There are times when the phrase “there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics” seems all too true, but here’s an honest number for you – ferries carry a global total of more than 2 billion passengers a year, which is almost on a par with airlines.Hard to believe? Not for those of us in the industry, but almost certainly for many citizens and politicians.

21 Jan 2020

BC Ferries Chooses SCHOTTEL Propulsion

(Image: BC Ferries)

SCHOTTEL said it secured an order to provide propulsion units for four 81-meter hybrid-electric road ferries ordered by Canadian operator BC Ferries from Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.Captain Jamie Marshall, Vice President, Business Development and Innovation at BC Ferries, said, “We’ve had positive experiences with SCHOTTEL azimuth thrusters in our Salish Class ferries, and opted for the German manufacturer for our Island Class as well. The propulsion system is efficient…