Tag Archives: Island Class ferries

Transportation

Planned price increases; dismantling FAC’s – Changes Coming To BC Ferries 

As some of you may have already heard, BC Ferries is going through changes. They range from a total revamp of the way they have been engaging with the public, to  expenses that probably won’t effect fares until 2028.

Let’s start with finances. BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez recently informed the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce the cost to build ferries has risen 40% since 2020. Speaking as a customer, my immediate thought was this sounds like there is a fare hike coming. 

Jeff Groot, BC Ferries Executive Director in charge of communications, responded “I think that’s a fair reaction. There’s a couple of things that we’re experiencing right now.”  

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Transportation

BC Ferries CEO speaks to Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce about navigating through growing pains

By Sidney Coles, Capital Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A sense of optimism and ambition marked BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez’s update to members of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and other regional stakeholders on Tuesday morning. It also served as a report card and warning that expensive changes and subsequent fare increases are definitely on the horizon. 

By 2028, a 30% fare increase will be necessary just to stay at its current levels of service, he said. The increase represents a necessary shift in BC Ferries’ priorities around fleet and infrastructure upgrades.

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Transportation

Terminal Upgrade Plan: BC Ferries Consults Cortes Residents

Originally published April 28, 2024

BC Ferries intends to upgrade their Heriot Bay and Whaletown terminals to accommodate new, higher-capacity “Island Class” ferries with the potential for all-electric operation. The construction project, scheduled for 2026, will necessitate closure of these docks and ramps — a serious logistical problem for BCF and for island residents.

On April 27th, 2024, BC Ferries hosted a two-hour open house at Mansons Hall from 12:30 to 2:30 pm, asking for community feedback and suggestions on their early draft plan for this disruptive project. The event was attended by more than 50 Cortes residents over the two-hour period; for those who were unable to attend, the online comment period remains open until May 6th.

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Transportation

Four fully electric BC Ferries vessels scheduled for 2027

BC Ferries (BCF) is expanding its number of Island Class hybrid-electric vessels, with four more contracted to Damen Shipyards Group (Damen) as per their Jan. 16 press release.

While the six Island Class ships currently operating on various routes across the province use both electric and diesel power, the future ships are designed to run solely on battery, with the diesel engine as a fail-safe.

Two routes are slated to receive a pair of the future ships to operate the respective connections in tandem: Nanaimo-Gabriola and Campbell River-Quadra (Quathiaski Cove). Currently older versions of Island Class vessels operate on these routes. In contrast, the newest ships will be built to run powered solely by rapid-charging technology that will be constructed at the terminals to coincide with the 2027 deployment. The Island Class electrification project is estimated to reduce emissions by 10,000 tons of CO2 equivalent.

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Transportation

BC Ferries forced to gear down vessel electrification ambitions

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

BC Ferries has officially changed course, scaling down its climate ambitions to electrify its Island Class fleet and ability to achieve provincial emissions targets. 

In 2021, the provincial ferry service got permission for the first phase of its Island Class Electrification Program (ICEP) — to convert the six Island Class diesel-electric hybrid ferries it has currently in operation to 100 per cent battery-electric operations by 2025. 

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