BC Ferries’ Newly Acquired Set Sail for BC

BC Ferries’ newly acquired vessel to replace the Queen of the North on the Inside Passage between Port Hardy and Prince Rupert officially set sail for her new home in B.C. on Saturday, November 18. The MV Sonia will be re-named when she arrives in B.C. in mid December. The vessel departed from Piraeus, Greece, early Saturday morning for her four-week voyage to Victoria, B.C. Under the command of Senior BC Ferries officers and crew, the vessel will travel via the Canary Islands and the Panama Canal before sailing up the west coast of North America. The 117 metre ship is scheduled to arrive in Victoria on December 18, 2006. BC Ferries acquired the two year old vessel in October and the 9,925 tonne ship will carry up to 600 passengers, 101 vehicles and has 70 cabins. The ship will usher in a new era of ferry travel on the north coast. The vessel will undergo a $9 million upgrade at Victoria Shipyards and is due to start service on northern BC Ferries’ routes in April 2007.