BC Ferries’ Spirit of British Columbia Converted to LNG

Spirit of British Columbia, one of two BC Ferries vessels that will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel, has finished conversion at the Remontowa Ship Repair Yard S.A. in Gdansk, Poland and has returned to service for the Canadian operator.

The 1993-built ro-pax ferry Spirit of British Columbia was the first to undergo conversion while its sister vessel, the Spirit of Vancouver Island, is expected to complete conversion during the spring of 2019. The 550-foot ABS-classed vessels are the largest ships in the BC Ferries fleet with a capacity to carry 2,100 passengers and crew and 358 automobile equivalent.

“We are excited to welcome the Spirit of British Columbia back into our fleet and the environmental benefits and efficiency advantages that come with its conversion,” said BC Ferries Vice President of Strategy and Community Engagement, Mark Wilson. “We worked closely with ABS who helped us navigate the technical compliance challenges of converting existing vessels to run on LNG and played a key role in bringing this project to fruition.”

“The conversion of these vessels to operate on LNG is an important milestone for BC Ferries and the region, supporting more efficient and environmentally-friendly transportation,” said ABS Vice President for Global Gas Solutions, Patrick Janssens. “With the increased pressure for environmental compliance, LNG as fuel is a practical option for many marine owners and operators.”

ABS launched its Global Gas Solutions team in 2013 to support industry in developing gas-related projects. The ABS Global Gas Solutions team offers guidance in LNG floating structures and systems, gas fuel systems and equipment, gas carriers and regulatory and statutory requirements.