Engine issues with the Queen of Alberni is causing hiccups in the schedule between Nanaimo and Vancouver. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

FERRY ISSUES

Mechanical issues cancelling some Nanaimo-Vancouver sailings

Jun 29, 2022 | 11:13 AM

NANAIMO — Continued issues with a BC Ferries vessel is complicating pre-long weekend travel.

An issue with the engine on board the Queen of Alberni earlier cancelled the 12:15 p.m. crossing from Nanaimo’s Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay.

The cancellations will also bleed over into Thursday, June 30, with the 7:40 a.m. sailing out of Departure Bay cancelled, along with the 10:00 a.m. sailing from Horseshoe Bay.

“We do have a team of engineers as well as our fleet maintenance team is attending to the vessel,” Deborah Marshall, a spokesperson with BC Ferries told NanaimoNewsNOW. “We’ll certainly keep our customers posted if there is any service impact but we’ll let our engineers diagnose the problem and get to work fixing it as soon as possible.”

The repairs to the vessel are significant, but they anticipate the Queen of Alberni will be back in service in time for its 12:25 p.m. sailing on June 30.

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All other service on the route, handled by the Queen of Oak Bay and Queen of Cowichan, is proceeding as scheduled.

The same issue also saw the 5 p.m. sailing on Tuesday, June 28 cancelled.

The cancellations come ahead of a projected extremely busy weekend for BC Ferries with large traffic volumes expected.

Friday’s Canada Day celebrations will combine with Monday’s Independence Day in the United States over the same weekend, for the first time in six years.

Heavy traffic is expected to begin Thursday, June 30 in the afternoon heading towards Vancouver Island, with returns to the Lower Mainland forecast for Sunday, July 3 and into Monday.

Barring further cancellations, 38 sailings a day will run between the two Nanaimo terminals and their corresponding destinations in the Lower Mainland.

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