BC Ferries’ Queen of Capilano will undergo a USD 12 million mid-life upgrade (MLU) from January 5 to May 5, 2015 to prepare the vessel for another 20 years of service.
The Bowen Queen will provide service on the Bowen Island-Horseshoe Bay route for the duration of the MLU.
The refit work will be carried out at Esquimalt Drydocking Company, and highlights of the vessel’s extensive upgrade will include installation of gallery decks: increasing capacity from approximately 85 to 100 vehicle, installation of a new entrance/exit for walk-on passengers in the upper lounge and installation of a new evacuation system and replacement of the rescue boat among other things.
“A significant upgrade such as the one the Queen of Capilano is undergoing allows BC Ferries to operate a more efficient vessel for decades into the future,” said Mark Wilson, BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering . “Most importantly, the end result is a safe and dependable ferry service for the community of Bowen Island.”
As the vehicle capacity of the Bowen Queen is lower than that of the Queen of Capilano, BC Ferries will be providing additional services to help mitigate the potential for overloads. This includes a direct-to-downtown bus shuttle, discounted parking at Horseshoe Bay terminal, additional sailings and assured loading for high-occupancy vehicles during key afternoon commuter sailings to Bowen Island.
Bowen Island Ferry Advisory Committee Chair Adam Holbrook added, “ The FAC and BC Ferries worked together during the past year to identify potential issues associated with the Bowen Queen coming on the route. Between this detailed analysis and the additional services BC Ferries is coordinating, this refit should be much smoother than previous experiences for all of us.”