6319 replies to this topic

[manuel]

Could have turned the extra space into a floating marijuana dispensary. Captive audience and all.

[jonny]

I'm not convinced that expanding it 800 sq ft will generate that much more revenue. It was already sizeable. A lot of the space is empty floor space now, they just spread the racks out a lot. It looks better sure, but does that generate more sales? It doesn't compete with anything!

 

More square footage = more revenue is retail 101. Absolutely revenue will increase. 

 

The new giftshop also has two actual changerooms, which is huge for clothing sales.

[Nparker]

The old gift shop was so crowded it probably discouraged people from purchasing.

[Kungsberg]

B.C. Ferries plans new wave of five big replacement ships

http://www.timescolo...hips-1.23357153

 

B.C. Ferries is heading into a major construction project to replace existing C-class ferries with five new vessels.

The company issued a request for proposals on Tuesday for naval architect engineering support to develop construction bid packages and to review proposals from shipyards.

 

… Any construction plan is bound to reignite the decades-long discussion about where new vessels should be built. 

 

… C-class ships are large and a vessel of that size would not fit in Allied Shipyards [of North Vancouver]. Allied would have to be part of a consortium that includes a firm with a larger facility in order to take part in construction of this magnitude, [Allied Shipbuilding head] Ko said. He ruled out Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards because it is busy with existing federal contracts….

[Kungsberg]

B.C. Ferries plans new wave of five big replacement ships

http://www.timescolo...hips-1.23357153

 

B.C. Ferries is heading into a major construction project to replace existing C-class ferries with five new vessels.

The company issued a request for proposals on Tuesday for naval architect engineering support to develop construction bid packages and to review proposals from shipyards.

 

… Any construction plan is bound to reignite the decades-long discussion about where new vessels should be built. 

 

… C-class ships are large and a vessel of that size would not fit in Allied Shipyards [of North Vancouver]. Allied would have to be part of a consortium that includes a firm with a larger facility in order to take part in construction of this magnitude, [Allied Shipbuilding head] Ko said. He ruled out Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards because it is busy with existing federal contracts….

[Mike K.]

Poland’s per capita GDP is just shy of $20k, Canada’s is just north of $40k. Poland spending twice as much as a percentage of its GDP than Canada puts the two countries toe to toe, does it not?

[57WestHills]

If we want good, properly sized ferries, they aren't going to be built here. Or, if they are, it'll cost an absolute fortune for an inferior product. These new boats will be Spirit class in size.

The New West will get replaced by two ships roughly 1/3 bigger than the Salish class. I think BC Ferries is still waiting for approval for that plan. The two ferries would go to Horseshoe Bay - Langdale to make that route hourly all year; which it was until the early-1990s.

[Bingo]

If we want good, properly sized ferries, they aren't going to be built here. 

I disagree.

We can build better ferries here, especially if they are smaller and can fit into the facilities we already have in BC, as well as at the proposed graving dock at Point Hope Shipyards.

Why not build more of the mid- sized ferries and run them more often on the longer routes such as Swartz Bay/Tsawwassen.

Instead of having two ferries go back and forth, why not have three mid-sized and run them more often, say every 45 minutes.

More mid-sized ferries would provide a more versatile fleet, able to go onto some of the shorter runs when ships get taken out of service for repairs.

[Nparker]

Have we lost the skills/facilities to duplicate the construction of the Spirit-class ferries here in BC?

[The] two Spirit-class ferries — Spirit of British Columbia (built 1993) and Spirit of Vancouver Island (built 1994)...were built (using the same method) in separate parts by a variety of different shipbuilders.

The 200 ft (61.0 m) bow hull pieces were built at Allied Shipbuilders in North Vancouver, while the 340 ft (103.6 m) stern hull pieces were built at Yarrows Ltd. in Victoria. The pieces were joined in Esquimalt before being towed to Fraser Surrey Docks. There they were joined with the superstructure, which had been constructed in three pieces along the Fraser River in Delta. Once the superstructure was complete the ships were returned to Esquimalt for finishing touches...

https://en.wikipedia...i/S-class_ferry

 

[thundergun]

I never understand this continuous obsession with building ferries here. In BC don't build our own cars, buses, sky-trains, airplanes, cellphones, computers, appliances and on and on but ferries - those must be local!

 

If the Province does a study (seemingly all they do these days) that determines that a larger ship building industry could survive here and compete against international companies (and not survive solely on contracts from the Province), then sure, go ahead and subsidize the program development. But don't think that would automatically mean they'd be able to beat the price and quality of well established ship builders around the world.

 

In the meantime, no one is stopping any local companies from bidding on the ships and all bids for BC Ferries contracts will be evaluated fairly against a well established and defined criteria. Let's move on until the Premier has something to actually say instead of trying to win favour by suggesting he'd like things to be different.

[57WestHills]

Have we lost the skills/facilities to duplicate the construction of the Spirit-class ferries here in BC?

Sort of depends, ships can be built here. But the industry is really diminished and they've built a lot of junk over the last two decades.

Skeena Queen reengined several times amongst other expensive issues. Island Sky was so late that all three Coastal were built between when it was supposed to be delivered and when it actually was. The SeaBus was such junk Seaspan was disqualified from bidding for the second & third ones. Even the barge for the cable ferry had quality control issues. And the Northern Sea Wolf if already several months late on a not particularly aggressive schedule.

[jonny]

There is no real ship building industry and never really was. We just built one off government owned ships.

Look at some aerial photos of Rementowa's facility in Poland. Now that's a shipyard!

[Rob Randall]

We cranked out a huge number of ships during the war but we were going for quantity, not quality. The BC Ferries era during the '60s seemed to be the golden era but ships today are so much more technologically advanced it's hard to compare.  The Germans and Poles have been building great ships non-stop for generations, they don't screw around.

[Bingo]

B.C. Ferries has cancelled six sailings between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen this afternoon.
"Unfortunately, due to an ongoing issue with one of the Queen of New Westminster's controllable pitch propellers, we have cancelled its sailings for the remainder of the day.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience experienced as a result of these cancellations," the corporation said in a statement.

http://www.timescolo...oday-1.23361471

[Nparker]

So much for taking advantage of the summer tourist season this year.

B.C. Ferries says a new direct service between Port Hardy and Bella Coola will be delayed nearly two more months because of an unknown timeline to complete work on the vessel acquired to sail the route...the introductory route was intended to start June 19 and was delayed to July 20, but now September 16 is the starting date for service. B.C. Ferries says it is unknown when refit work will be completed on the Northern Sea Wolf, which was purchased after the direct seasonal route between Port Hardy and Bella Coola was announced by the province in 2016. In its place, the MV Northern Adventure will be redeployed for two round-trip sailings per week, but September 16 is the earliest the vessel can be made available...

https://www.cheknews...es-says-469342/

More details here.

[Jackerbie]

BC Ferries really demonstrating how badly new ships are needed. The Queen of Alberni has engine issues and will not be doing its scheduled Duke Point-Tsawwassen runs. Queen of New West will be redeployed at the end of the day for a 12:45 am run.

Edited by Jackerbie, 12 July 2018 - 08:57 AM.

[Mike K.]

It's time to end the charade and have Horgan secure a commitment from Trudeau to help fund the ferry system.

 

It's unfathomable how east coast, inter-provincial ferries are subsidized nearly $500 per passenger while BC Ferries receives a federal funding commitment of about $1.50 per passenger (that's one dollar, fifty cents).

 

We have not one but two (semi) elected leaders from Vancouver Island representing this province and the issue today is no more advanced than it was in 2015 when the feds scrapped their import duties for the three Salish vessels (saving BC Ferries just under $50 million).

[vortoozo]

BC Ferries really demonstrating how badly new ships are needed. The Queen of Alberni has engine issues and will not be doing its scheduled Duke Point-Tsawwassen runs. Queen of New West will be redeployed at the end of the day for a 12:45 am run.

 

That was yesterday.

[jonny]

It's time to end the charade and have Horgan secure a commitment from Trudeau to help fund the ferry system.

 

Why? It's very well funded. 

[Mike K.]

So was the new Johnson Street Bridge but that didn't stop the feds from putting $21 million towards the project.

 

Why shouldn't British Columbians expect a significant federal subsidy for the system when the east coast receives one?