Queen of the North Replacement Purchased

Monday, September 18, 2006 12:20 PM

B.C. Ferries has announced it has purchased a replacement for the Queen of the North which sank after hitting Gil Island this past spring.

The price tag was $50.6 million Canadian, and there will be a further 18 million dollars in modifications.

The replacement ship, the MV Sonia, shown at left, is two years old and was first used to sail between Trinidad and Tobago.

The MV Sonia has had her own share of troubles. According to a report in the Trinidad Tobago Express, the "Sonia" had to be docked in January of 2005 because a fuel pump was ruined over using bad deisel fuel. The paper reported Sonia stalled because the fuel used in the islands was not as refined as the fuels in North America.

The modifications to be completed over the winter include:

Mechanical work on main engines and auxiliary systems
Hull painting
Change to Canadian registry
Modification to stern ramp to become compatible with BC Ferries’ docks
Electrical upgrades
Heating and lighting modifications
New lifejackets, fire hoses and monitoring cameras
Car deck upgrades to accommodate higher loading capacity
Steel work including installation of a rubbing strake
Expansion and reconfiguration of galley and food service area
New seating
Expansion of washrooms
Relocation and expansion of giftshop
Expanding and upgrading crew common areas

The 117 metre ship has 70 state rooms and will accommodate over 600 passengers and 101 vehicles. BC Ferries will take posession of the ship in the next couple of weeks.

David L. Hahn, BC Ferries’ President and CEO says the ship will be ready and in operation for the Spring of 2007 "This acquisition sends a clear message to the global tourism industry that BC Ferries’ Inside Passage route will be open for business next year."

Here are the Specs on the MV Sonia as provided by B.C. Ferries:

MV Sonia
Year Build	2004
Gross Tonnage	9,925
Length Overall	117 metres
Breadth	20 metres
Depth	7.2 metres
Maximum Draft	4.7 metres
Engine Output	16,000 kW at 750 rpm
# of Passengers	600+
# of Vehicles	101
# of Cabins	70
Speed	20.3 knots
Damage Stability	Two compartment

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Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 12:20 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Gofaster on September 18 2006 3:45 PM

Oh sure...typical BC Gov't buy equiptment that has already been proven poor quality...
No bids, not tenders?
what gives.... something stinks....

Posted by: trusted on September 19 2006 8:36 AM

Oh, give us all a break.
So a fuel pump failed to function due to bad fuel.So put some bad fuel in your new car and then say the car is a lemon.
So they will put in new life jackets for safety.
That is a crime to go to that expense? I think not.
In all honesty-some of you people must live your lives in a "la la" land, believing you know it all, make no mistakes, and you should be consulted on every move the government makes.
So a ferry will be operable again. I bet many people are truly thankful, and I agree they should be!
Time others grabbed an operable brain in that mass above their shoulders-if there is one?
Questionable!

Posted by: kam on September 21 2006 11:08 AM

>Oh sure...typical BC Gov't buy equiptment that >has already been proven poor quality...

If you actually take a moment to read the report you will notice that it�s a problem with the fuel, not the ship.

Take any ship that is meant to run on high quality low sulfur content diesel fuel and put standard fuel oil in to it and see what happens.

>No bids, not tenders?

This is not a new ship build, why would you be tendering?? It's like shipping for a used car; you look around for the one that fits your needs and budget and make an offer.

>Trinidad and Tobago? Is this a joke. Only the >Liberals could find a ferry from some poor >Caribbean country and try to dress it up with >some new life jackets. We deserve better for our >tax dollars.

Trinidad & Tobago are hardly some poor Caribbean county.

Also, if you would take a moment to actually read the information in front of you, you may notice that the Sonia is a European built and owned ship and was leased to the governments of Trinidad & Tobago.

The upgrades to things like life jackets and fire hoses are to bring her up to Transport Canada safety requirements.

And what does this have to do with our tax dollars?? The insurance moneys from the Queen of the North cover the cost of the new ship. That is after all what insurance it for.

Oh, and I should also point out the BCF is no longer a crown corporation, so the political parties and government have nothing to say or do about the purchase of the Sonia.

Posted by: trusted on September 21 2006 6:33 PM

Thanks, kam, for helping set it straight and get some of these readers to understand it probably is a great deal as a replacement for the Queen of the North.
When one takes into consideration the money the NDP spent on building ferries-this purchase almost seems like a gift.
A little bit of knowledge can almost be dangerous, as some posters have proven.
If you know nothing-say nothing.
Great policy.