Americas News
BC Ferries' LNG-Powered Newbuild Arrives on Canadian West Coast
Canadian ferry operator British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. (BC Ferries) Wednesday announced that Salish Orca, the company's first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel, has arrived in British Columbia.
The vessel reached British Columbian waters Wednesday morning following a 50-day voyage from Gdansk, Poland following its construction at Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. (Remontowa).
"This is a very exciting day for all of us at BC Ferries as we proudly welcome this beautiful ship, Salish Orca, home to British Columba and into our fleet," said Mike Corrigan, BC Ferries’ President and CEO.
"The Salish Class vessels will provide us cost savings and efficiencies with standardised vessels and greater interoperability as well as enhance safety well into the future. They are very well built ships, which will serve our customers for many years to come."
As Ship & Bunker has previously reported, the dual-fuel ferry, which is also capable of running on ultra-low sulfur diesel, is planned to run primarily on LNG in order to reduce both emissions and costs for BC Ferries.
BC Ferries notes that Salish Orca will be officially handed over to the company following Canadian Customs processes and final inspections.
After public open houses and crew training, the vessel will be deployed on the Powell River-Comox route in the spring of 2017.
Salish Orca’s sister ships, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven, are slated for delivery this spring, and are set to begin service in the Southern Gulf Islands later in the year.
