New BC Ferries

[officedweller]

Four more of these:


https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-f...ps-damen-order

BC Ferries orders four new hybrid electric ferries from European shipyard
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-f...ps-damen-order

[madog222]

These will be fully battery electric powered in regular service.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by madog222

These will be fully battery electric powered in regular service.

I saw that in the article. Finally the shore charging upgrades we've been waiting for.

[officedweller]

New Major Vessels


Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of the New Major Vessels. (BC Ferries)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-f...derings-design


Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of the New Major Vessels. (BC Ferries)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-f...derings-design

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by officedweller

New Major Vessels


Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of the New Major Vessels. (BC Ferries)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-f...derings-design


Preliminary conceptual artistic rendering of the New Major Vessels. (BC Ferries)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-f...derings-design

i thought they werent allowed to have openings on car decks anymore? the 80s ones used to be majorly open.

anyone know how the size of these compare to the S Class ferries?

[Vantage]

Here's the news release from BC Ferries, emphasis mine: https://www.bcferries.com/news-relea...essel-concepts

FIRST LOOK AT NEW MAJOR VESSEL CONCEPTS

VICTORIA – Two conceptual renderings of BC Ferries’ New Major Vessels program are the first look at what up to seven new ferries could look like when they enter operation starting in 2029.

BC Ferries is building these new major vessels to provide more capacity across the ferry system and continue to improve how we get our customers where they need to be. The vessels will replace up to six existing major vessels that are nearing their end-of-life and will serve the busiest routes between Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver.

“The New Major Vessels program is the largest part of our capital plan to modernize and transform the ferry experience in British Columbia,” said Nicolas Jimenez, BC Ferries’ President and CEO. “These vessels – greener, more efficient and standardized – represent the future of ferry travel in our province. They will significantly increase daily capacity, provide an enhanced customer experience, improve reliability and reduce environmental impacts.”

The concept images can be viewed and downloaded here: https://bcferries.barberstock.com/co...design-concept

The new major vessels will carry up to 360 standard sized vehicles and 2,100 people, compared to a capacity of 250-310 vehicles and 1,200-1,500 people on retiring vessels, which will help meet growing customer demand particularly as more people move to B.C. in the coming years. The vessels will be standardized with others in the fleet to allow us to be more flexible in moving them between routes when maintenance or refits are required, without disrupting customer travel.

The basic design for these vessels is being developed in collaboration with a leading naval architect firm, LMG Marin AS, in order to maximize efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The design calls for engines capable of using bio- and renewable fuels, and includes a battery-hybrid propulsion system that will allow for conversion to full battery-electric operation once shore-based recharging infrastructure becomes available.

Today, BC Ferries issued a Request for Supplier Qualification (RFSQ) for its New Major Vessels program. The RFSQ is available through the international shipbroker Clarksons, as well as on bcbid.gov.bc.ca. It will close on March 26, 2024. Qualified shipyards will then have the opportunity to take part in the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, currently expected to occur in the summer of 2024.

BC Ferries follows a formal and transparent procurement process to obtain the best possible value for ferry users. The bidding process to build the new ships is open to qualified local, national and international companies.

I don't think open car decks were disallowed, the only change was requiring passengers in enclosed vehicle decks to exit their vehicle during the sailing. All the recent vessel procurements have an open car deck actually.

[madog222]

They have a very aggressive procurement schedule, shipyard contract to be signed this December with delivery of the first vessel in November 2028. This contract will definitely be going to one of the major international shipyards. Seaspan definitely couldn't win the contract, not that I expected them to even bid.

The supplied renders show a vessel outwardly similar to the Queen of Alberni with the short superstructure. Initially I wondered if this design is specifically for boats on Route 30 while others with have a full length superstructure. Now looking closer at the hull I don't think this will be the case. The hull towards the bows appears to taper to a skeg quite far back, from just below where the superstructure starts.

Hull tank tests:

• Video Link

• Video Link

[connect2source]

Beautiful ships, can't wait! Although the superstructure looks short it also appears to have at least two levels of amenities unlike the current C-Class vessels with just one level. I hope the interiors get a major update too, perhaps some Scandinavian design influence from the Norwegian firm building these beauties.

[idunno]

Interesting! They look like a bizzaro-world Queen of Alberni.

What I am curious about is why they are okay having the bridges so far inset from the ends of the ship. The whole reason that Queen of Oak Bay and Queen of Surrey look different from Queen of Cowichan and Coquitlam was because captains wanted the bridges closer to the ends to ease docking.

Maybe these aren't such big issues nowadays with cameras, lasers, etc.