BC Ferries informed that the first steel cut on the company’s second of three new intermediate class ferries took place at Remontowa Shipbuilding in Gdansk, Poland.
The steel cut is another significant milestone in the construction of three new dual-fuel ferries, capable of running on liquefied natural gas or diesel, the company said in a statement.
These brand new vessels will replace aging ships in the fleet and are part of BC Ferries’ vessel replacement plan for standardized ships to allow for greater interoperability. Standardization will provide the company with more flexibility to best utilize ships over their 40-year lifespan.
The first ICF is scheduled to arrive in August 2016 and will replace the 50-year old Queen of Burnaby on the Comox – Powell River route. The second ICF is scheduled to arrive in October 2016 and will replace the 51-year old Queen of Nanaimo, sailing on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route. The third ICF will arrive in February 2017 and will be used to augment peak and shoulder season service on the Southern Gulf Islands route, and provide refit relief around the fleet.
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