Americas News
"Major Milestone" Marked as BC Ferries Names LNG-Powered Ferry
Canadian west coast ferry operator BC Ferries has announced that it held a naming ceremony at Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in Gdansk, Poland for its newest vessel to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) Bunkers, the Salish Orca.
The dual-fuel ferry, which is also capable of running on ultra-low sulfur diesel, is said to be planned to run primarily on LNG in order to reduce both emissions and costs for BC Ferries.
"This marks a major milestone in building our new ships, as we honour maritime tradition
with the official naming ceremony for the Salish Orca," said Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries' President and CEO.
"As we progress with our vessel replacement program, we will continue to look for opportunities to build LNG-powered ferries,"
BC Ferries says the use of LNG will result in an estimated of 9,000 metric tonne reduction in CO2 emissions per year.
The Salish Orca will replace 50-year-old Queen of Burnaby, which operates on the Comox – Powell River route, in late 2016, says the ferry operator.
The Salish Orca is said to be one in a series of three ships currently under construction, including Salish Eagle and Salish Raven, all set to replace ships at the end of the life-cycle by 2017.
In April, Corrigan told local media that LNG is a "game changer" for the firm, which operates 35 vessels in 17 classes throughout that province's coastal waters.
