Around 30 new round trips are being scheduled between Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay after the terminal was shut down at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Ian Seggie)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

MORE CROSSINGS

More sailings added from Departure Bay as BC Ferries traffic slowly increases

Jun 29, 2020 | 1:56 PM

NANAIMO — Service on one of Vancouver Island’s major routes is slowly returning to normal.

Effective July 2, BC Ferries will double the number of round trips between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay, adding 30 additional round trips per week.

Sailings will leave Departure Bay in Nanaimo roughly every two hours from 6:25 a.m. to 10:40 p.m.

The company is also increasing the number of crossings between Duke Point and Tsawwassen by adding eight round trips per week.

“Ferry traffic has returned to an average of about 30 per cent lower than this time last year,” BC Ferries CEO Mark Collins said in a release.

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The company said it will be two to three years before traffic returns to pre-COVID levels.

Deborah Marshall, BC Ferries spokesperson told NanaimoNewsNOW, the number of passengers on board is still being limited to encourage social distancing.

“We’re still lower than our usualy maximum passenger capacity but we have been ramping that up. We are doing that in a safe manner but we want to be able to accommodate more travellers,” Marshall said.

A majority of the limitations have occurred with foot passengers. Travellers with vehicles are encouraged to remain in their cars as much as possible.

Masks are also required for all travellers on sailings longer than 30 minutes.

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