Ferry Operator Awards LNG Conversion Contracts for Two Vessels

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Tuesday March 29, 2016

Canadian ferry operator British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. (BC Ferries) has announced that Remontowa Ship Repair Yard S.A. (Remontowa Shipbuilding) in Gdansk, Poland has been awarded a $140 million contract complete mid-life upgrades (MLUs) on the company's two Spirit-Class vessels, including the conversion of both ships to dual-fuel conventional and liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker propulsion.

"In addition to the financial benefits of LNG, BC Ferries is committed to converting to more environmentally-friendly fuel sources to improve our environmental footprint," said Mark Wilson, Vice President of Engineering at BC Ferries.

"By utilising LNG to fuel the Spirit-Class vessels, we expect to reduce CO2 emissions by 12,000 tonnes annually, which is the equivalent of taking approximately 2500 vehicles off the road per year."

The ferry operator says that it will receive up to $10 million under the FortisBC Energy Inc. (FortisBC) Natural Gas for Transportation (NGT) incentive programme, set to be used toward part of the capital cost of converting the two vessels to dual fuel capability.

"Last fiscal year, we spent approximately $118 million on diesel fuel of which the two Spirit Class vessels consumed approximately 16 percent," said Wilson.

"The conversion of the two largest ships in the fleet along with the three new dual-fuel Salish-Class vessels currently under construction will go a long way to help with fare affordability for our customers as LNG costs significantly less than marine diesel."

In order to ensure both vessels are operational during the peak summer months, BC Ferries says the Spirit of British Columbia is slated to commence the conversion process in the fall of 2017 through to the spring of 2018, while the conversion of the Spirit of Vancouver Island will begin in the fall of 2018, coming to completion in the spring of 2019.

In November, BC Ferries held a naming ceremony at Remontowa Shipbuilding for its newest vessel to be powered by LNG bunkers, the Salish Orca.