After days of cancelled sailings, Coastal Inspiration has been pulled from service as engineers carry out main engine repairs on the B.C. Ferries vessel, which usually serves the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route.
It’s not known how long the vessel will be out of service, B.C. Ferries said.
“We are unable to provide a repair timeline at this time, but our teams are working as quickly as possible to get the vessel back in service,” said spokesperson Shiryn Sayani.
Salish Heron has been brought in to help out on route, along with Spirit of Vancouver Island. The smaller Salish Heron normally travels between Tsawwassen and the Southern Gulf Islands.
Nothing so far indicates that Coastal Inspiration’s problem is related to past issues with rotors on the three Coastal-class ferries, Sayani said.
B.C. Ferries paid $8.5 million to fix rotors on the three vessels after the problem arose on Coastal Renaissance in the summer of 2023.
Once an investigation and repairs are completed on Coastal Inspiration, “We will take any learnings forward to other vessels if needed,” Sayani said.
B.C. Ferries recommends that passengers check the company’s website (bcferries.com) or social media apps to get current information on sailing times on the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route.
B.C. Ferries’ customer service centre staff are contacting customers with bookings on affected sailings, the company said. If a booking cannot be rescheduled on another sailing, it will be cancelled and fees and fares will be refunded, Sayani said.
Coastal Inspiration, along with the two other Coastal-class vessels and the two Spirit-class ferries, are B.C. Ferries’ mainstays for service between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
The Inspiration was built in 2008, is 524 feet long and can carry more than 1,600 passengers and crew and 310 vehicles.
This month, B.C. Ferry Commissioner Eva Hague is expected to make a decision on the company’s December application to order five new major vessels to serve routes between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. Two other larger ferries are planned for the future.
The application includes a request for one ferry that would be able to fill in when a ferry — such as the Coastal Inspiration — is taken out of service.
If the request is approved by Hage, the company hopes to sign contracts in the spring. The first of the new large ferries would arrive in 2029.
B.C. Ferries also experienced problems with its Bowen Island service this past weekend, starting at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday when the Queen of Capilano “made contact with three vessels tied up at the marina at Snug Cove.”
The ferry was not damaged but was taken out of service until that evening. Water taxis were brought in.
Sonia Lowe, a B.C. Ferries spokesperson, said the company is investigating whether the incident was due to wind conditions, a mechanical issue, or a combination of factors, and whether any contact occurred with the dock.
“We are working closely with the marina and vessel owners to assess any reported damage and determine next steps,” she said.
Severe weather Monday night caused the floating dock at Snug Cove to shift its position, resulting in an unsafe ramp, Lowe said.
That led to cancelled sailings between Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver and Snug Cove on Tuesday and Wednesday, she said.
Repairs are being carried out, and water taxis were brought in to help carry traffic. Lowe encouraged travellers to check current conditions online.
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