Final Salish Class Vessel Sets Sail for British Columbia

Canadian ferry owner and operator BC Ferries revealed that Salish Raven, a final of three LNG-powered Salish Class vessels, departed Gdansk, Poland, on April 28, bound for its new home in British Columbia. 

“This is a major milestone in our newbuild program as Salish Raven, the final vessel in this series, is now making its way to British Columbia,” Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ President and CEO, commented.

The ship’s 10,440 nautical mile journey from Gdansk-based Remontowa Shipbuilding is expected to take around 45 to 55 days, according to BC Ferries.

The Transatlantic voyage will include stops for refueling in Santa Cruz, Canary Islands and Panama City, Panama. The vessel will also transit the Panama Canal and sail up the west coast of North America to British Columbia.

As disclosed, Salish Raven will be introduced in the Southern Gulf Islands in the fall.

BC Ferries said it will take final acceptance and ownership of Salish Raven upon final inspection once the vessel arrives in BC.

Salish Orca, BC Ferries’ first dual-fuel vessel, will be introduced into service on the Powell River – Comox route in May, while Salish Eagle, the second of the three ships, will start service on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route in late June.

The 107-meter Salish Class ships will carry 145 vehicles and up to 600 passengers and crew. With a gross tonnage of 8,728 tons each, the vessels feature two car decks and have a service speed of 15.5 knots.