BC Ferries vessel will undergo a refurbishment at the Esquimalt Drydocking Company in Canada
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries removed Queen of Cumberland from service on 25 November ahead of her CAD$18 million mid-life upgrade, which will prepare her for another 20 years of service.
To be refitted at Vancouver Island’s Esquimalt Drydocking Company, the vessel is scheduled to return to service on 17 April 2016. During the drydock, engineers will carry out various safety, mechanical and customer service improvements, installing a new boat deck entrance/exit for foot passengers, a pet area and an enhanced evacuation system.
In addition, all stairwells, the disabled bathroom, the elevator system, the intercom and public address system, and the CCTV and security systems will be upgraded. The rescue boat will also be replaced.
While Queen of Cumberland is in drydock, both Skeena Queen and Bowern Queen will service her regular route between Swartz Bay and the Southern Gulf Islands.
Skeena Queen will cover Queen of Cumberland for the busy morning and late afternoon periods before returning to her regular Swartz Bay-Fulford Harbour route for the remainder of the day. After servicing Skeena Queen’s Swartz Bay-Fulford Harbour route during peak times, Bowen Queen will move to Queen of Cumberland’s route during the quieter periods of the day due to her lower passenger capacity. The vessels will swap routes each weekday.
To maintain the capacity levels to and from Salt Spring Island, BC Ferries will add sailings to the route between Swartz Bay and Fulford Harbour, as well as Vesuvius Bay and Crofton. Schedules can be found here.