BC Ferries said it’s LNG-fuelled newbuild ferry, the Salish Orca, currently under construction at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard in Gdansk, Poland, has been wrapped in a decal before setting off for British Columbia.
The vessel will depart Poland this fall under its own power, sailing by the Canary Islands, through the Panama Canal and up the west coast of North America, BC Ferries said in a statement on Monday. It is expected to arrive in British Columbia by the end of the year.
The Salish Orca is the first of three LNG-fueled vessels Remontowa Shipbuilding is constructing for BC Ferries, under a contract signed in July, 2014.
The new intermediate class vessels will be the first vessels in BC Ferries’ fleet to operate as dual-fuel capable using liquefied natural gas (LNG) or diesel fuel for propulsion and power generation.
Two of the new ships will replace the 49-year old Queen of Burnaby which sails between Comox and Powell River and the 50-year old Queen of Nanaimo, which services the Tsawwassen — Southern Gulf Islands route. The third vessel will augment peak and shoulder season service on the Southern Gulf Islands route, plus provide refit relief around the fleet. These new 105 metre vessels will accommodate 145 vehicles and 600 passengers.
BC Ferries has also published a time-lapse video showing the process of wrapping the vessel in a decal designed by Coast Salish artist, Darlene Gait, depicting a pod of orcas moving through the water.
LNG World News Staff