BC Ferries says the Coastal Renaissance is no longer expected to return to service in mid-December, the company says testing on the part replacement has identified an issue that needs further investigation.
The ferry was pulled from service on Aug. 16 due to an issue with its number two drive motor. Each of the Coastal class of vessels has two drive motors, and both are required to operate the ferry.
The drive motor from Coastal Renaissance was sent to Indiana for repairs, with an expected date to return to service of mid-December, but that is now pushed back.
“When the Coastal Renaissance motor was going through its final testing, the motor did indicate a short circuit,” Deborah Marshall, executive director of public affairs for BC Ferries told CHEK News in an interview. “So unfortunately, that ship is not going to be returning to service mid-December.”
The Coastal Celebration will sail in the Coastal Renaissance’s place on the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route during the holiday season.
Rob Fleming, the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, says despite the loss of the main vessel, travellers this season shouldn’t be worried.
“The public should know this as they make their holiday plans, we do have the other coastal vessel available and the extra sailings that are typically scheduled for the holiday period will be scheduled again. So that extra volume that we typically see over the holidays, we’ll have capacity to have those extra sailings,” says Fleming.
When it was first pulled from service, the Coastal Renaissance was operating on the Duke Point to Tsawwassen route, but was supposed to shift to the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route instead.
“A lot of our major vessels are interchangeable with the routes that they travel on,” Marshall said. “The Coastal class, for example, usually service as three of our routes, primarily Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen-Duke Point, and they also serve over on the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay run.”
There is no date yet for when the Coastal Renaissance is expected to return to service.
The other two Coastal class vessels were also expected to have their drive motors replaced. Marshall says all the motors will be changed out ahead of the 2024 summer season.
Over the holidays, BC Ferries transported a total of 911,000 passengers and 428,000 vehicles in 2022.
Four major vessels will service the busiest route, Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen.
READ PREVIOUS:
- AUG. 16: Sailing cancellations on Nanaimo to Vancouver route: BC Ferries
- AUG. 17: Coastal Renaissance to likely be out of service for weeks
- AUG. 19: Major BC Ferries vessel to remain out of service indefinitely
- AUG. 22: Coastal Renaissance out of service until at least mid-October: BC Ferries
- SEPT. 8: BC Ferries begins work on out-of-service Coastal Renaissance
- SEPT. 28: Second major BC Ferries vessel to exit service for repairs next month
- OCT. 12: ‘Extremely busy’ sailings between Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen due to major vessel needing repairs
Laura Brougham
