The sun is setting on the MV Quinsam's time in waters around Gabriola Island, with new hybrid-electric vessels set to replace the aging ship in 2022. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

ON ITS WAY

Future Gabriola Island ferry B.C. bound from Romanian shipyard

Oct 13, 2021 | 5:02 PM

NANAIMO — The last of BC Ferries’ new Island class vessels is on its way to local waters.

Temporarily dubbed ‘Island 6’, the ship left its Romanian shipyard on Monday, Oct. 11 and is expected to take upwards of two months to complete the cross-Atlantic trek.

The ferry, along with one of its twins, is set to replace the MV Quinsam on the Nanaimo Harbour to Gabriola Island route.

“Like the three Island Class ferries that came before it, approximately one-third of Island 6’s journey is expected to be completed by using battery power with the main engines stopped,” a release from BC Ferries read.

The hybrid-electric vessel is designed to be able to run in a full electric mode, once charging capabilities on shore are installed.

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“Electric propulsion is quieter, smoother and more efficient compared to the traditional diesel propulsion of the vessels the Island Class will be replacing, and these ships will improve customer service by adding more capacity and frequency of service,” Capt. James Marshall, vice president of shipbuilding and innovation, said.

Island class vessels carry just under 50 vehicles, slightly less than the Quinsam, however the company plans to run two vessels on the route in 2022, effectively doubling capacity.

People can follow the ship’s progress to B.C. by clicking here.

The Gabriola-Nanaimo run is constantly plagued by sailing delays, largely due to accumulated time spent loading and unloading the ship.

Between June and August 2021, at least 50 service notices for sailing delays were posted on the run, with the route being an average of 28 minutes late.

Many times, the Quinsam fell so far behind its schedule, the company would cancel a round trip in order to resume normal operations.

A new schedule was implemented in September in a bid to stem the delays.

Steven Earle, chair of the Gabriola Island Ferry Advisory Committee, previously told NanaimoNewsNOW the solution is a lot more complicated than just adding sailings.

The first boat typically leaves Gabriola Island at 5:15 a.m. with crossings regularly until a final 11 p.m. departure from Nanaimo.

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