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[Marine] BC Ferries


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#4361 lanforod

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Posted 12 July 2018 - 06:36 PM

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?

 

We'll get one when Vancouver Island becomes a province.


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#4362 57WestHills

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Posted 12 July 2018 - 07:22 PM

The Queen of Alberni is a floating mechanical disaster. These new major ships which are rolling out to contracting cannot come soon enough. I also confirmed one of the five is a new extra major, and the Oak Bay / Surrey stay in service with the New West retired.... As it should have been a decade ago.

Edited by 57WestHills, 12 July 2018 - 07:23 PM.


#4363 AllseeingEye

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Posted 12 July 2018 - 07:59 PM

Wonder if BCF ever inquired about acquiring any of the (fleet) assets of the old CN Marine which was disbanded in the late 1980's; not certain whether their bow/stern design would have allowed them to dock at BCF terminals but I do know the largest were ro-ro designs and they significantly larger/heavier than the Spirit-class boats. The ships were built almost at exactly the same time as the Spirit-class and were broken up only a few years ago. Seems odd ferries of that size and relatively recent vintage wouldn't have commanded a market somewhere, if not here. Not sure possibly their ice-breaking hull configuration made them unsuitable for the west coast.

 

Given the political optics that seem to arise any time BCF wants to update the fleet - building ships externally vs at home - I am curious whether purchasing existing assets from other ferry systems was/is part of their replenishment strategy.



#4364 jonny

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Posted 12 July 2018 - 08:05 PM

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


Two wrongs don't make a right.

#4365 jonny

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Posted 12 July 2018 - 08:07 PM

The Queen of Alberni is a floating mechanical disaster. These new major ships which are rolling out to contracting cannot come soon enough. I also confirmed one of the five is a new extra major, and the Oak Bay / Surrey stay in service with the New West retired.... As it should have been a decade ago.


The Alberni is one of the most reliable ships in the fleet and logs among the most sailing hours.

#4366 grantpalin

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Posted 12 July 2018 - 08:49 PM

The constitution requires that the federal government manage or fund ferry services that travel between provinces, which currently only applies in the Atlantic region. Doesn't apply here as Vancouver Island is part of BC.



#4367 57WestHills

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Posted 13 July 2018 - 06:03 AM

The Alberni is one of the most reliable ships in the fleet and logs among the most sailing hours.


The later is true for sure. The Alberni has been pulled from service about a dozen times from this year. They even had to pull up the New West when she was in her out of service periods to cover. It's not in good condition, more generally.

Like many of our ships it's been kept too long. The Howe Sound Queen being retired soon isn't leaving because there is a good replacement plan, it just cannot get insured anymore after sometime in 2019 when its certificates expire!

#4368 Nparker

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Posted 13 July 2018 - 07:25 AM

Apparently, BC Ferries terminals are meant to be the poor man's Disneyland

Improved cycling facilities, more places for pets and more greenspace are on the wish list for a refurbished Swartz Bay ferry terminal. Other ideas suggested are a basketball court, climbing wall, pub and lounge, a small skate park and outdoor entertainment...

http://www.timescolo...iled-1.23367121

Is it just me or is our species getting weirder by the day?



#4369 Mike K.

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Posted 13 July 2018 - 07:29 AM

It would sure be nice if we had some federal help with replacements for ships literally disintegrating.

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#4370 Jackerbie

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Posted 13 July 2018 - 07:32 AM

Apparently, BC Ferries terminals are meant to be the poor man's Disneyland

Is it just me or is our species getting weirder by the day?

 

I always find it strange how, in a single breath, some people can complain about the cost of a ferry crossing and also the lack of extra amenities.


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#4371 lanforod

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Posted 13 July 2018 - 12:33 PM

I'd rather leave the terminal alone and fix it so you never or extremely rarely have to wait more than 1 hour. Then you don't need the amenities.


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#4372 57WestHills

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Posted 14 July 2018 - 10:12 PM

Queen of New West having trouble yet again this weekend with her props.. the same problem that actually did in the Queen of Nanaimo (not suggesting a dramatic end to the ferry here, it was repairable on the Nanaimo just not worth it when the replacement was sitting there). Cancellations today and into mid day tomorrow.

#4373 Bingo

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Posted 15 July 2018 - 12:59 PM

Queen of New West having trouble yet again this weekend with her props.. the same problem that actually did in the Queen of Nanaimo (not suggesting a dramatic end to the ferry here, it was repairable on the Nanaimo just not worth it when the replacement was sitting there). Cancellations today and into mid day tomorrow.

 

Propulsion problems  caused the ferry to hit the dock at Duke Point in 2011.

 

On Dec. 20, 2011, the Coastal Inspiration was travelling about five knots, when it slammed into the terminal, located south of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.

"The bow door, the starboard side shell, and the rubbing plate of the Coastal Inspiration were damaged, putting it out of service for 23 days.

The terminal sustained damage to the port and starboard berth walls, to pilings and to various electrical fittings, and was out of service for 122 days," the report said.

The TSB found procedures for testing the propulsion control equipment before berthing were not followed, meaning that a malfunction in the controls went undetected until it was too late. 

Investigators also concluded that the bridge crew was not familiar with the controls in an emergency.

Since the accident, BC Ferries has made several changes to its propulsion control systems to provide a warning to bridge crews when the system malfunctions. 

The TSB also noted that BC Ferries has improved its emergency response drills.

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...crash-1.1404240


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#4374 lanforod

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Posted 15 July 2018 - 07:40 PM

^ Whenever I"m on a ferry, I think of how monotonous the job can sometimes get, doing the exact same route day in and day out. Does not surprise me that SOP was not followed.

I hope BCF does random audit inspections of their crew.



#4375 Jason-L

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Posted 16 July 2018 - 06:51 AM

Apparently, BC Ferries terminals are meant to be the poor man's Disneyland

Is it just me or is our species getting weirder by the day?

This would be perfect.  More reasons for people to ignore the announcement to return to their cars in preparation for boarding!



#4376 Citified.ca

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Posted 25 July 2018 - 11:44 AM

Expansion-planned-for-Seaspan's-North-Saanich-freight-ferry-operation-east-of-Swartz-Bay.jpg

An aerial of Seaspan's commercial freight ferry terminal in North Saanich adjacent to BC Ferries' Swartz Bay ferry terminal (at-right). The Piers Island Compound can be seen top-centre, while Seaspan's freight trailer facility and a Seaspan freight ferry are centred. Seaspan plans to undertake improvements to its North Saanich facility following last year's opening of a $44 million Duke Point terminal south of Nanaimo.

 

Expansion planned for Seaspan's North Saanich freight ferry terminal adjacent to Swartz Bay

https://victoria.cit...-to-swartz-bay/


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#4377 sdwright.vic

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Posted 17 August 2018 - 05:29 PM

Have friends (yes I have them 😉) trying to come over from the mainland (visiting from Edmonton). Just called and the 7, 8 and 9 are now at 100% (they just squeaked onto the 9).

Okay, fine its family visiting. 😂

Edited by sdwright.vic, 18 August 2018 - 03:49 PM.

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#4378 grantpalin

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Posted 19 August 2018 - 11:00 AM

From the TC:

 

B.C. Ferries reported a four-sailing wait on its Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay route on Friday afternoon and evening, with someone at the back of the line at 3:15 p.m. having to wait until 8 p.m. to board.

 

The Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen trip showed a one-sailing wait for much of the day.

 

At Tsawwassen, the wait eased to two sailings by 5:30 p.m. and no sailing waits by 9 p.m.

 

...

 

The long wait at Tsawwassen terminal was likely due to a combination of factors, said B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall. While many passengers were heading to the Island for Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria cycling event today, she said travelling patterns were also part of the situation. “A lot of families either take the first two weeks of August or the last two weeks of August as vacation, so this is typically what we call the ‘changeover weekend.’ ”

 

 

There were a bunch of events happening here this weekend so that may have added to the crush. Still, four-sailing wait, yikes.

 

I can only imagine that it may be the opposite today.


Edited by grantpalin, 19 August 2018 - 11:01 AM.


#4379 AllseeingEye

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Posted 19 August 2018 - 02:09 PM

/\....its gnarly again today at the major terminals with a 1-2 sailing wait from Swartz Bay as of an hour ago.

 

Hard to believe that for one of the largest ferry fleets in the world there are, according to their PR spokeswoman on the news a few weeks ago, literally no available ships on standby to be plugged into the schedule on an as-required emergency basis when car+passenger volumes warrant. As in, they don't physically exist. 

 

IMO they need to look at an alternate model and incorporate some sort of hybrid system such as a large truck/bus/oversized vehicles-only sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, or the reverse as needed, during those peak times (anticipated or not) because there really is no good excuse in 2018 why there should be 3-4 sailing waits per the story grantpalin linked above.

 

I think not so many years ago they had the capability to loop into service one of the old V-class boats in the event of extended waits but I think the Queen of New Westminster is the last remaining ship from that class and I know she's had a series of mechanical issues in the last few years - hell she's 55 years old so that is no surprise. Maybe they need to look at something really out of the box like contracting with Seaspan to offload some of those oversized vehicles off the BCF ships on the busiest mainland-Swartz Bay run to free up space for more cars. That may or not be feasible but the point is they need to get creative to address the issue because it won't resolve itself.



#4380 SamCB

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Posted 19 August 2018 - 02:27 PM

^its not like throwing another bc transit bus onto a route....

Those big 400-car ferries cost about $300 Million each to manufacture. To say nothing of cost of ownership. And the time it takes to get them built. And the politics involved in getting approval to build another big boat...

Ferry traffic has only picked up in the last 2 years. you're basically suggesting BC ferries should have used their crystal ball back in 2014 when traffic was near an all time low, to start building a $300 Million dollar asset that would be completely unneeded at the time it was ordered? The ferry commissioner wouldnt allow that to happen, even if the management of BCF was brazen enough to ask for it.

The ferry business is tough. You absolutely cannot afford to keep more capacity on standby than you need, or you'll be insolvent in no time.

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