BC FerriesBritish Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is the company that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services on the West Coast of British Columbia. Set up in 1959 to provide a substantially better service then those provided by the Black Ball Line and the Canadian Pacific Railway, which were affected by frequent spurts of job action, BC Ferries has become the largest passenger ferry line in North America and the second largest in the world, boasting a fleet of 35 vessels with a total passenger and crew capacity of over 27,000, serving 48 locations on the B.C. coast. HistoryIn the late 1950s, a strike caused the Social Credit government of W.A.C. Bennett to decide that the coastal ferry service in B.C. needed to be government-owned, and so he set about creating BC Ferries. Tsawwassen terminal was constructed by filling in a large area at the end of a causeway Final loading of cars onto a ferryBC Ferries' first route, commissioned in 1960, was between Swartz Bay, a small suburb of Sidney on Vancouver Island, and Tsawwassen, a part of the Corporation of Delta, using just two vessels. The next few years saw a dramatic growth of the B.C. ferry system, as it literally took over operations of the Black Ball Line and other major private companies providing vehicle ferry service between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. As the ferry system expanded and started to service other small coastal communities, BC Ferries had to build more vessels, many of them in the first five years of its operations, to keep up with the demand. Another method of satisfying increasing demand for service was BC Ferries' unique "stretch and lift" program, involving seven vessels being cut in half and extended, and five of those vessels later cut in half again and elevated, to increase their passenger and vehicle-carrying capacities. The vast majority of the vessels in the fleet were built in B.C. waters, with only two foreign purchases and one domestic purchase. In the mid 1980s, BC Ferries took over the operations of the saltwater branch of the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, which ran ferry services to very small coastal communities. This action dramatically increased the size of BC Ferries' fleet and its geographical service area. The distinctive 'dogwood on green' flag that BC Ferries used between 1960 and 2003 gave the service its popular nickname "the Dogwood Fleet". In 2003, the Government of British Columbia announced that BC Ferries, which had been in debt, was going to be reorganized into a private company. This was established through the passing of the Coastal Ferry Act (Bill 18-2003). The single voting share is held by the BC Ferry Authority, which operates under the rules of the Act. Critics have said that the company, however reorganized, will continue to be subject to political interference, despite the Government's assurances to the contrary. More information about the various aspects of this change to the company is available here. A controversy began in July, 2004 when BC Ferries, under a new American CEO, announced that the company had disqualified all Canadian bids and only the proposals from European shipyards to build three new Super-C class ships were being considered. The contract is estimated at less than $500 million for the three ships, which are each designed to carry 370 vehicles and 1600 passengers. The argument for domestic construction of the ferries is that it would employ numerous British Columbia workers, would revitalize the sagging B.C. shipbuilding industry, and entitle the provincial government to a large portion of the cost in the form of taxes. The advantages of employing European shipbuilders were that they had far more experience and shipyards that were more capable of constructing the ships, the cost was expected to be significantly less, and others' contract terms could be negotiated that were superior to what was likely to be available from B.C. shipbuilders. On September 17, 2004, BC Ferries finally awarded the vessel construction contract to Germany's Flensburger shipyard. The contract protects BC Ferries from any delays through a fixed price and fixed schedule contract, and the performance of the ferries is guaranteed with strong contractual requirements. The three vessels are expected to be delivered in 2007 and 2008. MishapsThe Queen of Oak Bay after crashing into a marina on June 30, 2005.On August 2, 1970 the Soviet freighter Sergey Yesenin collided with the Queen of Victoria in Active Pass, slicing through the middle of the ferry. Three people were killed and damage was estimated at over one million (1970) dollars. The Soviet ship was not supposed to be in Active Pass, and as such, the Soviet government was forced to compensate BC Ferries. On March 12, 1992, at 8:08 am (16:08 UTC), the Queen of Alberni collided with the Japanese freighter Shinwa Maru southwest of Tsawwassen. The collision occurred in heavy fog, with both vessels suffering minor damage. 260 people were hurt, but there were no deaths. On June 30, 2005 at about 10:10 in the morning (17:10 UTC), the vessel Queen of Oak Bay, on the Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay (or Trans-Canada Highway) ferry route, lost power four minutes before it was to dock at the Horseshoe Bay terminal. The vessel became adrift, unable to change speed, but able to steer with the rudders. The horn was blown steadily and an announcement telling passengers to brace for impact was made minutes before the 139-metre ship slowly ran into the nearby Sewell's Marina, where it destroyed or damaged 22 pleasure craft and subsequently went aground a short distance from the shore. No casualties or injuries were reported.
On July 1, 2005, BC Ferries issued a statement that Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board, and Lloyd's Register of Shipping were reviewing the control and mechanical systems onboard to find a fault. An inspection revealed minimal damage to the ship, with only some minor damage to a metal fender, paint scrapes to the rudder, and some minor scrapes to one blade of a propeller. On July 7, 2005, BC Ferries concluded that a missing cotter pin was to blame. The pin normally retained a nut on a linkage between an engine speed governor and the fuel control for one of the engines. Without the pin, the nut fell off and the linkage separated, causing the engine, clutches, and propellers to increase in speed until overspeed safety devices tripped and shut down the entire propulsion system. The faulty speed governor had been serviced 17 days before the incident during a $35-million upgrade and the cotter pin was not properly replaced at that time. The Queen of Oak Bay was repaired and tested, then returned to regular service on July 8, 2005. Current routesRoute numbers are used internally by BC Ferries. All routes allow vehicles unless stated otherwise. Passenger Gangway at Tsawwassen terminal
VesselsBC Ferries has the largest fleet of vehicle ferry vessels in the world. There are 35 vessels, ranging from small 16-car ferries up to 470-car "superferries". All of the vessels in use by BC ferries are "roll-on, roll-off" car ferries. Most of the major vessels are based on similar designs which are aggregated into "classes" of ferries: Queen of Saanich is a V class ferry
British Columbia Regional Districts served
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Most of the major vessels are based on similar designs which are aggregated into "classes" of ferries:. The band consists of Toni Wirtanen, Sami Lehtinen and Simo Santapukki. All of the vessels in use by BC ferries are "roll-on, roll-off" car ferries. As of November 2005, 15 of their singles and 8 albums have reached the #1 spot on the Finnish charts. There are 35 vessels, ranging from small 16-car ferries up to 470-car "superferries". "Teit meistä kauniin" is one of the most purchased singles in Finland. BC Ferries has the largest fleet of vehicle ferry vessels in the world. For almost ten years, they have been on the top of the Finnish charts, and they continue to be one of the most successful rock bands in Finland. All routes allow vehicles unless stated otherwise. At first they played punk rock, but now their style is less like that. Route numbers are used internally by BC Ferries. Their name means fertilizer. The Queen of Oak Bay was repaired and tested, then returned to regular service on July 8, 2005. Apulanta is a Finnish rock band, founded in 1991. The faulty speed governor had been serviced 17 days before the incident during a $35-million upgrade and the cotter pin was not properly replaced at that time. Viper Spank (2000/2003). Without the pin, the nut fell off and the linkage separated, causing the engine, clutches, and propellers to increase in speed until overspeed safety devices tripped and shut down the entire propulsion system. Apulanta (2001/2002). The pin normally retained a nut on a linkage between an engine speed governor and the fuel control for one of the engines. Kiila (2005). On July 7, 2005, BC Ferries concluded that a missing cotter pin was to blame. Hiekka (2002). An inspection revealed minimal damage to the ship, with only some minor damage to a metal fender, paint scrapes to the rudder, and some minor scrapes to one blade of a propeller. Heinola 10 (2001). On July 1, 2005, BC Ferries issued a statement that Transport Canada, the Transportation Safety Board, and Lloyd's Register of Shipping were reviewing the control and mechanical systems onboard to find a fault. Plastik (2000). No casualties or injuries were reported. Aivan kuin kaikki muutkin (1998). The horn was blown steadily and an announcement telling passengers to brace for impact was made minutes before the 139-metre ship slowly ran into the nearby Sewell's Marina, where it destroyed or damaged 22 pleasure craft and subsequently went aground a short distance from the shore. Kolme (1997). The vessel became adrift, unable to change speed, but able to steer with the rudders. Ehjä (1996). On June 30, 2005 at about 10:10 in the morning (17:10 UTC), the vessel Queen of Oak Bay, on the Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay (or Trans-Canada Highway) ferry route, lost power four minutes before it was to dock at the Horseshoe Bay terminal. People (1994). 260 people were hurt, but there were no deaths. Attack of the A.L. The collision occurred in heavy fog, with both vessels suffering minor damage. On March 12, 1992, at 8:08 am (16:08 UTC), the Queen of Alberni collided with the Japanese freighter Shinwa Maru southwest of Tsawwassen. The Soviet ship was not supposed to be in Active Pass, and as such, the Soviet government was forced to compensate BC Ferries. Three people were killed and damage was estimated at over one million (1970) dollars. On August 2, 1970 the Soviet freighter Sergey Yesenin collided with the Queen of Victoria in Active Pass, slicing through the middle of the ferry. The three vessels are expected to be delivered in 2007 and 2008. The contract protects BC Ferries from any delays through a fixed price and fixed schedule contract, and the performance of the ferries is guaranteed with strong contractual requirements. On September 17, 2004, BC Ferries finally awarded the vessel construction contract to Germany's Flensburger shipyard. shipbuilders. The advantages of employing European shipbuilders were that they had far more experience and shipyards that were more capable of constructing the ships, the cost was expected to be significantly less, and others' contract terms could be negotiated that were superior to what was likely to be available from B.C. shipbuilding industry, and entitle the provincial government to a large portion of the cost in the form of taxes. The argument for domestic construction of the ferries is that it would employ numerous British Columbia workers, would revitalize the sagging B.C. The contract is estimated at less than $500 million for the three ships, which are each designed to carry 370 vehicles and 1600 passengers. A controversy began in July, 2004 when BC Ferries, under a new American CEO, announced that the company had disqualified all Canadian bids and only the proposals from European shipyards to build three new Super-C class ships were being considered. More information about the various aspects of this change to the company is available here. Critics have said that the company, however reorganized, will continue to be subject to political interference, despite the Government's assurances to the contrary. The single voting share is held by the BC Ferry Authority, which operates under the rules of the Act. This was established through the passing of the Coastal Ferry Act (Bill 18-2003). In 2003, the Government of British Columbia announced that BC Ferries, which had been in debt, was going to be reorganized into a private company. The distinctive 'dogwood on green' flag that BC Ferries used between 1960 and 2003 gave the service its popular nickname "the Dogwood Fleet". This action dramatically increased the size of BC Ferries' fleet and its geographical service area. Ministry of Transportation and Highways, which ran ferry services to very small coastal communities. In the mid 1980s, BC Ferries took over the operations of the saltwater branch of the B.C. waters, with only two foreign purchases and one domestic purchase. The vast majority of the vessels in the fleet were built in B.C. Another method of satisfying increasing demand for service was BC Ferries' unique "stretch and lift" program, involving seven vessels being cut in half and extended, and five of those vessels later cut in half again and elevated, to increase their passenger and vehicle-carrying capacities. As the ferry system expanded and started to service other small coastal communities, BC Ferries had to build more vessels, many of them in the first five years of its operations, to keep up with the demand. ferry system, as it literally took over operations of the Black Ball Line and other major private companies providing vehicle ferry service between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. The next few years saw a dramatic growth of the B.C. BC Ferries' first route, commissioned in 1960, was between Swartz Bay, a small suburb of Sidney on Vancouver Island, and Tsawwassen, a part of the Corporation of Delta, using just two vessels. needed to be government-owned, and so he set about creating BC Ferries. Bennett to decide that the coastal ferry service in B.C. In the late 1950s, a strike caused the Social Credit government of W.A.C. . coast. Set up in 1959 to provide a substantially better service then those provided by the Black Ball Line and the Canadian Pacific Railway, which were affected by frequent spurts of job action, BC Ferries has become the largest passenger ferry line in North America and the second largest in the world, boasting a fleet of 35 vessels with a total passenger and crew capacity of over 27,000, serving 48 locations on the B.C. British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is the company that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services on the West Coast of British Columbia. Skeena-Queen Charlotte. Central Coast. Powell River. Sunshine Coast. Greater Vancouver. Mount Waddington. Comox-Strathcona. Nanaimo. Cowichan Valley. Capital. FastCat Series. Retired BC Ferries ships. Other ships of BC Ferries (not classed). Two T class ships. Three K class and Two Q class ships, for small inter-island routes. As the name suggests, this vessel can carry 100 cars per load, for use on busy, short inter-island routes. One Century class vessel. Three Powell River class ships. Two Intermediate class vessels. Built in the 1960s, these ferries have only been stretched to increase their capacity, except for the MV Queen of New Westminster, which was only lifted. Three Burnaby class. Built in the 1960s, these ferries have been stretched and lifted to increase their capacity. Three V class. Five C class, double-ended ferries. Three Super C class, Currently in the design stage. Two S class or "superferries", the largest in the fleet. Route 40 - Discovery Coast: Port Hardy to Bella Coola (with stops at Bella Bella, Shearwater, Ocean Falls and Klemtu). Route 30 - Mid-Island Express (Highway 19): Nanaimo (via Duke Point) to Tsawwassen. Route 26 - Skidegate Inlet: Skidegate (on Graham Island) to Alliford Bay (on Moresby Island). Route 25 - Broughton Strait: Port McNeill to Alert Bay (on Cormorant Island) and Sointula (on Malcolm Island). Route 24 - Sutil Channel: Quadra Island (via Heriot Bay) to Cortes Island (via Whaletown). Route 23 - Discovery Passage: Campbell River to Quadra Island (via Quathiaski Cove). Route 22 - Lambert Channel: Denman Island (via Gravelly Bay) to Hornby Island (via Shingle Spit). Route 21 - Baynes Sound: Buckley Bay to Denman Island (via Metcalf Bay). Route 20 - North Stuart Channel: Chemainus to Thetis and Kuper Islands. Route 19 - Northumberland Channel: Nanaimo Harbour to Gabriola Island (via Descanso Bay). Route 18 - Malaspina Strait: Powell River to Texada Island (via Blubber Bay). Route 17 - Georgia Strait North: Powell River (via Westview) to Comox (via Little River). Route 13 - Thornbrough Channel: Langdale to Gambier Island and Keats Island (passengers only). Route 12 - Saanich Inlet: Brentwood Bay to Mill Bay. Route 11 - Hecate Strait (Highway 16): Prince Rupert to Queen Charlotte Islands (via Skidegate). Route 10 - Inside Passage: Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. Route 9 - Active Pass Shuttle: Tsawwassen to Saltspring Island and the Outer Gulf Islands (listed above in route 5). Route 8 - Queen Charlotte Channel: Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island (via Snug Cove). Route 7 - Jervis Inlet (Highway 101): Earls Cove to Saltery Bay. Route 6 - South Stuart Channel: Crofton to Saltspring Island (at Vesuvius). Route 5 - Swanson Channel: Swartz Bay to the Outer Gulf Islands (Galiano, Mayne, Pender, and Saturna Islands). Route 4 - Satellite Channel: Swartz Bay to Saltspring Island (at Fulford Harbour). Route 3 - Howe Sound: Langdale to Horseshoe Bay. Route 2 - Georgia Strait Central (Highway 1): Nanaimo (via Departure Bay) to Horseshoe Bay. Route 1 - Georgia Strait South (Highway 17): Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen. Seattle Times story. CBC story. |