Peak Travel Times News

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced it will swap vessels at the Lower Algiers to Chalmette ferry route due to a mechanical issue. The Motor Vessel Levy will be replaced with the smaller M/V St. John at 1 p.m., today. The smaller vessel will run indefinitely, so ferry passengers should expect delays during peak travel times. DOTD said it will alert the public when the larger boat is ready to resume service. dotd.la.gov/ferry

Following a phasing-in period last year, PacifiCat Explorer became the first vessel out of Departure Bay in the morning, and the last one out of Horseshoe Bay at the end of the day. Now, BC Ferries has brought PacifiCat Discovery, its second fast ferry, into action on the crossing between Nanaimo and West Vancouver. As Discovery was delivered, Explorer went into dry dock for scheduled maintenance work. Pacificat sailing times will change because Discovery will be the lead vessel out of Horseshoe Bay. Once Explorer is out of dry dock, both will become the primary vessels on BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay route, with conventional ships brought on for supplementary sailings at peak travel times.

BC Ferries' second fast ferry, PacifiCat Discovery, was officially commissioned at a ceremony attended by Gordon Wilson, minister responsible for BC Ferries; Michael Francis, chair of BC Ferries' board of directors; and Bob Lingwood, president and CEO. The second PacifiCat delivers considerable cost savings and construction efficiencies compared with the first PacifiCat. Discovery was completed eight months faster and cost $10 million less than the first vessel. PacifiCat Discovery will begin scheduled service as the lead vessel out of Horseshoe Bay. At the same time, PacifiCat Explorer will enter dry dock for scheduled maintenance work. During the busy Christmas period, the two fast ferries and a conventional vessel will be in service on the Departure Bay-Horseshoe Bay route. On Jan.