A BC ferries vessel will be moved from the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay route to the Tsawwassen-Duke Point route for the summer starting June 25 to help reduce congestion at Nanaimo's busiest port. (file photo/NanaimoNewsNow)

By Jordan Davidson

summer switch

More routes added for summer sailings out of Duke Point

May 30, 2023 | 4:45 PM

NANAIMO — BC Ferries is making some moves in order to make travelling from the Lower Mainland to Vancouver Island a little easier this summer.

From June 25 through Sept. 4, one vessel will be re-assigned from the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay route, and will instead be added to the sailings from Tsawwassen to Duke Point in Nanaimo.

Ferries spokesperson Deborah Marshall said typically the Horseshoe Bay run has three vessels during the summer, but they are changing it up this year.

“We have more holding capacity at the terminals at Tsawwassen as well as Duke Point, so more space to marshal vehicles there. We are going to be shifting that capacity over to the Duke Point run where we can handle more traffic.”

More sailings will also be added to the Tsawwassen to Duke Point route since they’ll have three vessels instead of the regular two.

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Starting July 5, BC Ferries will also offer more saver fare discounts starting at $39 for standard vehicles and their driver, as well as increasing reservation space.

Marshall said they hope this new sailing configuration will hopefully free up some space on other routes.

“Horseshoe Bay is a smaller terminal than Duke Point or Tsawwassen, and it does tend to be quite congested in the summertime with the three routes we have coming in and out of that terminal.”

Overheight vehicles are also eligible for a 33 per cent discount for commercial vehicles at select times to help divert traffic from the constrained Horseshoe Bay terminal to avoid traffic backups onto Hwy. 99.

Two vessels will continue serving the Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay route, and reservations are always encouraged for any travel on BC Ferries.

“I would suggest anybody planning to travel with us over the summertime, do consider travelling between Duke Point and Tsawwassen, we’ll have more sailings and deeper discounts,” said Marshall.

More information can be found here at their website, bcferries.com, or follow them on Twitter.

–with files from Jon de Roo, 97.3 The Eagle

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow