Portable washrooms were brought on board the Queen of Cowichan after all elevators on the ship stopped working, according to BC Ferries in a notice Monday.
Around 7 a.m., the ferry company said the elevators on the ship, which sails between Nanaimo (Departure Bay) and Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay), were not working and, as a result, access between the vehicle and passenger desks was limited to stairs only.
Washrooms, the Coastal Café and passenger seating are located on passenger decks.
The 6:15 a.m. sailing from Departure Bay and the 8:25 a.m. had portable washrooms available to passengers on the main vehicle deck, according to BC Ferries.
“Customers travelling in vehicles who require elevator access to the passenger decks will be given the option to travel at a later time,” it said in the notice.
It said an elevator technician was working to resolve the problem. The technician “was on the ship, and one elevator is fixed now,” a spokesperson told CHEK News around 12:30 p.m.
“We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of this issue,” the company added in the notice.
On its website, BC Ferries says the Queen of Cowichan, built in 1976, can fit up to 1,494 passengers and crew and 312 vehicles.
Ethan Morneau
