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Texada Island ferry heads toward BC waters (video)

Island-class vessel making transatlantic voyage
Texada Island island-class hybrid electric ferry
The new island-class hybrid electric ferry that will service BC Ferries' Texada Island to Powell River route is aboard a semi-submersible vessel en route to Canada via the Panama Canal.

BC Ferries’ new island-class hybrid electric ferry that will service the Texada Island to Powell River route is on its way to Canada. Along with it is a second vessel that will serve the Port McNeill-Alert Bay-Sointula route on northern Vancouver Island.

The ships departed Constanta, Romania, on Wednesday, November 20, on a semi-submersible vessel for the 10,305 nautical mile journey to their new home in BC.

According to a media release from BC Ferries, the voyage will take approximately 40 to 45 days, depending on the weather. The journey will include one stop for refuelling before or after transiting the Panama Canal, and then sailing up the west coast of North America.

To load the ships, the semi-submersible transport partially submerges, which allows the two ferries to be floated into place. Once in position, the delivery vessel is refloated by pumping water out of its ballast tanks, the cargo is secured and then it’s ready for departure.

On arrival in Canada, the delivery ship will be re-submerged to allow both vessels to float off. The vessels will be manoeuvered by tug to the berths at Point Hope Maritime shipyard in Victoria. 

The ships’ journey can be tracked, including course, position and speed, at vesselfinder.com. The delivery ship, named Sun Rise, is owned and operated by Pan Ocean. 

According to BC Ferries, island-class vessels are battery equipped and designed for full electric operation. The ships are fitted with hybrid technology that bridges the gap until shore charging infrastructure becomes available. From the exterior details to the engines, the design of the new vessels reduces underwater radiated noise, lowers emissions and improves customer service, the release states.

BC Ferries will take ownership of the ferries upon final inspection at Point Hope Maritime. The ships will be christened before BC Ferries moves on to crew training, ship familiarization and dock fits.

The ships will be deployed by mid-2020.