LNG dual-fuel ferry arrives in B.C.

This follows a 38-day, 10 440 nautical mile journey from Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in Gdansk, Poland. Once it clears Canadian Customs and final inspections have been carried out, it will be officially handed over to BC Ferries.

As with the other two Salish Class vessels, the Salish Eagle is a 107 m long LNG dual-fuel vessel, and is capable of carrying 145 vehicles and 600 passengers and crew. The vessels each have a gross tonnage of 8728 t, and feature two car decks and a service speed of 15.5 knots. Each ship is powered by three Wartsila 8L20DF engines.

On 21 March, it will proceed to the company’s refit facility in Richmond to prepare for operational service. In mid-April, it will move the Tsawwassen terminal for crew training and familiarisation, and to continue to ready the vessel for regular operation.

BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering, Mark Wilson, said: “We are proud to welcome Salish Eagle, our second natural gas-fuelled ship, home to B.C. and into our fleet.

“The Salish Class are well built vessels that will help reduce our environmental footprint and our operating costs.”

The Salish Eagle will enter service on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route, commencing at the end of June 2017. Its artwork was designed by Stz’uminus First Nation’s John Marston, and will be applied to the vessel in B.C.

The vessel’s sister ship, the Salish Orca, will start service on the Comox – Powell River route late next month, whilst the Salish Raven will depart Poland for B.C. in April.

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/lng-shipping/21032017/lng-dual-fuel-ferry-arrives-in-bc/