A new ferry has arrived in B.C. this morning after a 50-day, 10,440 nautical mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean from Poland.
After public open houses in Powell River and Comox, Salish Orca will start service on that route in the spring of 2017.
A shipyard in Gdansk, Poland was awarded a $165 million contract in 2014. It’s expected to deliver three vessels capable of operating on either diesel fuel or natural gas.
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The Salish Class vessels are BC Ferries’ first natural gas-fuelled vessels.
Using natural gas as the primary fuel source is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nearly eliminate particulate matter.
Salish Orca’s sister ships, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven, are expected to arrive in B.C. this spring and will start service in the Southern Gulf Islands later this year.
The 107-metre Salish Class ships will carry 145 vehicles and up to 600 passengers and crew.