Post by ferryfast admin on Dec 20, 2007 17:57:43 GMT -5
A ferry with that new vessel smell
'High-tech' ship's advances go beyond the cosmetic
Sandra Mcculloch, Times Colonist
www.canada.com/
Published: Thursday, December 20, 2007
NANAIMO -- The newest addition to the B.C. Ferries fleet went on show for the media yesterday, and even cynical reporters murmured good things about the Coastal Renaissance.
The first of three new Super C-class vessels arrived in B.C. on Dec. 13 from the German shipyard where it was built and is now berthed at Departure Bay, alongside its shabby cousins, the Queen of Oak Bay and Queen of Cowichan.
B.C. Ferries plans to put this ferry into service on the Departure Bay to Horseshoe Bay run in March.
We've got a very aggressive and detailed crew-training schedule where we train all the crew members from start to finish," said B.C. Ferries engineering superintendent Andrew Martin.
"Our primary role on board is passenger safety and she's got a very high-tech and modern safety system on board. It does take some months to get all the crew through."
The next ship off the line will be the Coastal Inspiration, scheduled for completion next month. It will go on the Duke Point to Tsawwassen run. The Coastal Celebration is due for a May completion and is destined for the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route.
Improvements on the new ferries go beyond the cosmetic.
Alignment of the propellers means the vessel can move in almost any direction, making docking easier. The lower car deck seems massive because the ferry, at 160 metres, is the longest in the fleet.
There's room for 1,650 people on two passenger decks. For those who prefer fresh sea breezes, a massive sun deck is on the top deck.The cafeteria is similar to other vessels, except diners will have a spectacular view through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Inside, the seating design allows passengers to move easily from one area to the next, said Rob Schneeweiss of Smartdesign Group of Vancouver, the ferries' interior designers.
The vessel has four diesel engines that power an electric propulsion system that can propel the ship at a speed of 21 knots which makes it slightly faster than its older kin.
The vessel, which took one year to design and two years to build, was delivered on time and under budget, said Mike Corrigan, B.C. Ferries chief operations officer. "The project cost [for three vessels] was about $542 million and $80 million of that was in duty, and when you factor in everything else, there's about $100 million in taxes and so forth," said Corrigan.
The new ferries will be 30 per cent more fuel efficient than the rest of the fleet, Corrigan said. "We're looking at fuel savings of seven million litres a year when we configure the fleet as a result of bringing the Super C's in, so that will be $5 million savings a year, just in operating savings."
Passenger areas are rated as similar to those found on cruise ships "so the passengers will see and feel a noticeable difference in terms of vibrations on the ship, noises and things of that nature."
Martin, who was in the engine room when the ship went through the Panama Canal and suffered its first dent, said he didn't feel the bump. "I couldn't feel it, that's how slight it was."