A total of 800 litres of hydraulic oil spilled into marine waters this week when the starboard propeller came off Queen of New Westminster, which is expected to be out of service until at least the end of this month.
The 426-foot-long ferry was pulled from service on the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen route Tuesday morning, leading to multiple sailing cancellations on one of B.C. Ferries’ busiest runs during what is anticipated to be a record-breaking summer for the company.
Divers inspecting the ferry Wednesday found the starboard propeller had sheared off from its propulsion system, Ritinder Matthew, B.C. Ferries’ media director, said Thursday.
The oil loss was discovered while the ferry was travelling from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay during the 6 a.m. sailing.
Matthew said hydraulic oil disperses quickly and visual inspections by other vessels in the area have not detected any remaining oil sheen on the water.
B.C. Ferries is working to mitigate any possible environmental impact, she said, adding the propeller will be recovered.
The ferry company is looking for “suitable spares” and the vessel will go into Esquimalt Dry Dock later this month for the repairs, although it could remain out of service for an extended period, depending on parts availability, Matthew said.
B.C. Ferries will update its schedule and notify passengers as more information comes in, she said.
Staff are working to accommodate those booked on the cancelled sailings, moving them to other vessels. Sailings are being added on the route for Coastal Celebration and Coastal Renaissance, Matthew said.
Passengers with reservations will be rebooked or given a full refund, she said.
Queen of New Westminster, which can carry 1,332 passengers and crew and 254 cars, is the only remaining Victoria-class vessel among seven built for B.C. Ferries. It was constructed at Victoria Machinery Depot and launched in 1964, although it has gone through major renovations and an extension over the years.
B.C. Ferries is embarking on a fleet-renewal program that would see Queen of New Westminster retired in 2029.
A request for proposals for new major vessels will be published soon, the company said.
Plans call for each new major vessel to carry up to 2,100 passengers and have room for 360 vehicles.
B.C. Ferries, which expects this summer to be the busiest in its history, says it carried more than five million passengers and two million vehicles in June and July.
After disruptions in the summer of 2023, the company arranged this year’s refit schedules to ensure all vessels were in service through the tourist season. It hired close to 600 staff and sailings were added to busy routes.
“Preliminary August reporting indicates that these adjustments have led to a smoother season than in previous years,” the company said in a statement.
A total of seven vessels will be going into refit in October and November.
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