List of retired BC Ferries ships

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View of Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal (British Columbia, Canada) for BC Ferries TsawwassenFerryTerminal.JPG
View of Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal (British Columbia, Canada) for BC Ferries

List of retired BC Ferries:

Retired ferries

Since the 1960s, BC Ferries has retired the following ferries: [1]

Contents

NameBuilt (rebuilt)Years in serviceClassAuto capacityPassenger capacityNotesRefs
MV Quillayute 19271961-1963None35600Acquired in Black Ball purchase [2]
SS Smokwa 19461961-1966None46473Acquired in Black Ball purchase; named Scotian when built [3]
MV Jervis Queen 19281961-1966None45600Acquired in Black Ball purchase, formerly named Bainbridge [4]
MV George S. Pearson 19251961-1966None18134Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase, previously named Fox Island and Wollochet [5]
MV Cy Peck 1913 (1930)1961-1966None18135Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase; formerly named Island Princess and Daily [6]
MV Sunshine Coast Queen 19521967-1976None180+973Originally named Vacationland and later Père Nouvel Sank while being towed for scrap December 3, 1987
MV Sechelt Queen 19471961-1976None83670Acquired in Black Ball purchase, originally named Chinook [7]
MV Langdale Queen 1903 (1919/1926/1952)1961-1976None80600Acquired in Black Ball purchase, formerly named Kahloke, City of Sacramento, and Asbury Park; scrapped in 2009 [8]
MV Dogwood Princess 19691969-1979None030
MV Dogwood Princess II 1979 (1985)1979-2003None038Received an engine upgrade in 1985
MV Pender Queen 1923 (1956)1961-1980None40250Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase, formerly named Motor Princess. Sunk and scrapped in 2003 [9]
MV Princess of Vancouver 19551985-1987Princess class150984Formerly part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' saltwater ferry fleet and the Canadian Pacific Railway
MV Queen of the Islands 19631963-1991None40400Sold in 1991, permanently moored in Mosquito Creek Marina in North Vancouver since 2009
MV Salt Spring Queen 19491961-1996None36187Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase, formerly named Delta Princess. Sold and renamed Golden Queen.
MV Vesuvius Queen 19501962-1998None35184Originally named Lloyd Jones and sailed on Okanagan Lake, sold to R & G Importadora & Exportadora of the Dominican Republic in 1998 [10]
MV Queen of Sidney 19601960-2000 Sidney 138989First vessel built by BC Ferries, abandoned in 2000
MV Queen of Victoria 1962 (1970/1981)1962-2000 V 2861360Stretched in 1970, upper deck added in 1981 to increase capacity; sold to R & G Importadora & Exportadora of the Dominican Republic in 2001 [11]
MV PacifiCat Explorer 19981998-2000 PacifiCat 2351000Video documentary filmed about the ship's construction
MV PacifiCat Discovery 19991999-2000 PacifiCat 2351000
MV PacifiCat Voyager 2000Never PacifiCat 2351000Would have entered service in 2000
MV Albert J. Savoie 19611985-2002 N 16133Formerly part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' saltwater ferry fleet
MV Garibaldi II 1964 (1977)1985-2006 N Originally 16, later reduced to 7133+Formerly part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' saltwater ferry fleet, sold to Harbour Cruises via Woodfibre Pulp Mill in 2006.
MV Queen of the North 19691974-2006None115650Purchased from Stena Line in 1974; formerly named Queen of Surrey and Stena Danica; sank in Wright Sound on March 22, 2006
MV Queen of Esquimalt 1963 (1969/1982)1963-2008 V 3761630Stretched in 1969, upper deck added in 1982 to increase capacity [12]
MV Queen of Tsawwassen 19601960-2008 Sidney 128640 [13]
MV Queen of Saanich 1962 (1972/1982)1962-2008 V 3601672Stretched in 1972, upper deck added in 1982 to increase capacity
MV Queen of Vancouver 1962 (1972/1981)1962-2009 V 3381670Stretched in 1972, upper deck added in 1981 to increase capacity [14]
MV Queen of Prince Rupert 19651965-2009None80510Last BC Ferry built at Victoria Machinery Depot
MV Mill Bay 19561969-2011None16136Acquired in 1969 purchase of Coast Ferries
MV Queen of Chilliwack 19781991-2015None115400Acquired by Goundar Shipping in 2015
MV Tenaka 19641985-2016None24244Acquired by Lady Rose Marine Services in 2016
MV Queen of Burnaby 1965 (1972)1965-1994; 2000-2017 Burnaby 168904Stretched in 1972 to increase capacity
MV Queen of Nanaimo 1964 (1974)1964-2017 Burnaby 1641163Stretched in 1974 to increase capacity
MV Howe Sound Queen 19641971-2019None52300Purchased in 1971. Sold at an auction for CA$ 210,000 in 2019 [15]
MV Nimpkish 19731985-2020 N 1295Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985
MV North Island Princess 1958 (1971)1969-1977; 1985-2020None38150Acquired in 1969 purchase of Coast Ferries; Transferred to Ministry of Transportation & Highways in 1977 and back to BC Ferries in 1985; currently for sale. [16] [17]
MV Bowen Queen 1965 (1979)1965-2022 Powell River 61400Stretched in 1979 to increase capacity
MV Mayne Queen 1965 (1979)1965-2022 Powell River 58400Stretched in 1979 to increase capacity. Last full day of service on route 5 was November 19, 2022.
MV Powell River Queen 1965 (1979)1965-2023 Powell River 59408Stretched in 1979 to increase capacity. Currently for sale.

Planned retirement

BC Ferries has plans to retire the Queen of New Westminster as well as the five C-class vessels, starting in 2029. These will be replaced by up to seven of the "New Major Vessel" ships. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

British Columbia Ferry Services Inc., operating as BC Ferries (BCF), is a former provincial Crown corporation, now operating as an independently managed, publicly owned Canadian company. BC Ferries provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Set up in 1960 to provide a similar service to that provided by the Black Ball Line and the Canadian Pacific Railway, which were affected by job action at the time, BC Ferries has become the largest passenger ferry line in North America, operating a fleet of 41 vessels with a total passenger and crew capacity of over 27,000, serving 47 locations on the B.C. coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inside Passage</span> Shipping route along the northwest coast of North America

The Inside Passage is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific Northwest coast of the North American Fjordland. The route extends from southeastern Alaska in the United States, through western British Columbia in Canada, to northwestern Washington state in the United States. Ships using the route can avoid some of the bad weather in the open ocean and may visit some of the many isolated communities along the route. The Inside Passage is heavily travelled by cruise ships, freighters, tugs with tows, fishing craft, pleasure craft, and ships of the Alaska Marine Highway, BC Ferries, and Washington State Ferries systems. Coast Guard vessels of both Canada and the United States patrol and transit in the Passage.

MV <i>Queen of Nanaimo</i>

MV Queen of Nanaimo is a Burnaby-class passenger vessel that was operated by BC Ferries from the time it entered service in 1964 until 2017. Queen of Nanaimo was used to ferry passengers and vehicles from mainland British Columbia, Canada to the islands off its coast. In 2017, the vessel was sold to Goundar Shipping Ltd. and renamed MV Lomaiviti Princess V for service in Fiji.

V-class ferry

The V-class ferries, also known as the Victoria class, originally included seven ferries operated by BC Ferries built between 1962 and 1965. The V class were a continuation of the previous Sidney-class design with some cosmetic changes and different engines. These vessels were the backbone of service on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route prior to the arrival of MV Spirit of British Columbia in 1993. Four of these vessels underwent vehicle capacity increases three times. The lead ship of the class, Queen of Victoria suffered significant damage in a collision in 1970.

MV <i>Queen of Alberni</i>

MV Queen of Alberni is a C-class ferry that operates between Tsawwassen and Duke Point in British Columbia as part of the BC Ferries fleet.

T-class ferry

BC Ferries operates two T-class ferries for use on small inter-island routes. They have raised bows, which make it easier for the ships to travel in the rough seas often found on British Columbia's central coast. The ferries carry 30 cars and 150 passengers. Both were built in 1969. They were originally owned and operated by the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation until 1985, when the Ministry's saltwater ferries and routes were transferred to BC Ferries, including the T class. The two T-class ferries are Tachek and Quadra Queen II.

MV <i>Coastal Celebration</i>

MV Coastal Celebration is the third and final Coastal-class ship to be delivered to BC Ferries. The class comprises some of the largest double-ended ferries in the world. The vessel completed construction in 2008 and entered service the same year. Unlike her sister ships, Coastal Renaissance and Coastal Inspiration, Coastal Celebration was equipped with a Pacific Buffet for service on the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route, until it was discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then closed permanently in June 2023.

<i>Sidney</i>-class ferry

The Sidney class consisted of two roll-on/roll-off ferries, Queen of Sidney and Queen of Tsawwassen, built for the British Columbia Ferry Corporation in service from 1960 to 2008. The design for the ships was based on the ferry MV Coho with changes made to accommodate loading of vehicles through the bow of the vessel. Both vessels serviced different routes throughout their service lives.

MV <i>Queen of Prince Rupert</i>

MV Queen of Prince Rupert was a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferry operated by BC Ferries that provided the main surface transport link between the Queen Charlotte Islands and mainland British Columbia, connecting Skidegate with Prince Rupert across the Hecate Strait. The vessel also ran on the Prince Rupert–Port Hardy Inside Passage route during the low season.

MV <i>Malaspina Sky</i>

MV Malaspina Sky is an Intermediate-class ferry in the BC Ferries fleet built in 2008.

MV <i>Spirit of Vancouver Island</i>

Spirit of Vancouver Island is an S-class ferry, part of the BC Ferries fleet. Along with MV Spirit of British Columbia, it is the largest in the BC Ferries fleet. The ship was completed in 1994 and serves the Swartz Bay – Tsawwassen route. In 2018, Spirit of Vancouver Island began a mid-life refit in Poland, where it was converted to a dual-fuel system to allow liquefied natural gas propulsion. The vessel returned to service in 2019.

SS <i>Island Princess</i> 1900 cruise ship of all time

The steamboat Daily operated in the early 1900s as part of the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet. In later years, Daily was renamed Island Princess and later Cy Peck.

SS <i>Asbury Park</i>

Asbury Park was a high-speed coastal steamer built in Philadelphia, and intended to transport well-to-do persons from New York to summer homes on the New Jersey shore. This vessel was sold to West Coast interests in 1918, and later converted to an automobile ferry, serving on various routes San Francisco Bay, Puget Sound and British Columbia. This vessel was known by a number of other names, including City of Sacramento, Kahloke, Langdale Queen, and Lady Grace.

MV <i>Spirit of British Columbia</i>

MV Spirit of British Columbia is an S-class ferry, part of the BC Ferries fleet active along the British Columbia coast. It and Spirit of Vancouver Island represent the two largest ships in the fleet. The ship was completed in 1993 and serves the Tsawwassen–Swartz Bay route. In 2018, it underwent a mid-life refit that included conversion to a dual-fuel system that allows it to use either marine diesel oil or liquefied natural gas.

MV <i>Nicola</i> (1960)

MV Nicola is an N-class ferry, owned, but not operated by BC Ferries. It is also known as Spirit of Lax Kw' Alaams, a British Columbia First Nations name. Spirit of Lax Kw' Alaams currently runs between Prince Rupert and Port Simpson, a British Columbia First Nations community on British Columbia's North Coast. Overnight the vessel is kept at the Smit tugboat dock in Prince Rupert Harbour.

N-class ferry

N-class ferries are a class of RORO ferries, of which one remaining example is owned by BC Ferries and has the distinction of being the smallest vessel in their fleet.

SS <i>Princess Beatrice</i>

Princess Beatrice was a steamship built for and owned by the marine division of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). The ship served from 1903 to 1928 in the coastal waters of British Columbia. The ship also operated on Puget Sound on a route from Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington. Princess Beatrice was the first ship to operate in the year-round steamship service between Seattle and Victoria that was run by CPR from 1904 to 1959. This ship should not be confused with an earlier Princess Beatrice, built in Scotland in 1874, which served on the Atlantic coast of Canada.

SS <i>Princess Marguerite</i>

Princess Marguerite, Princess Marguerite II, and Princess Marguerite III was a series of Canadian coastal passenger vessels that operated along the west coast of British Columbia and into Puget Sound in Washington state almost continuously from 1925 to 1999. Known locally as "the Maggie", they saw the longest service of any vessel that carried passengers and freight between Victoria, Vancouver, and Seattle. The vessels were owned and operated by a series of companies, primarily Canadian Pacific Railway Company (CPSS) and British Columbia Steamships Corporation. The first two were part of the CPR "Princess fleet," which was composed of ships having names which began with the title "Princess". These were named after Marguerite Kathleen Shaughnessy, who was not a princess but was the daughter of Baron Thomas Shaughnessy, then chairman of the board of CPSS's parent, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowen Island Ferry</span> Ferry service in Metro Vancouver, Canada

The Bowen Island ferry travels between Snug Cove on Bowen Island, and Horseshoe Bay in the District of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a trip of three nautical miles across Queen Charlotte Channel. A scheduled ferry has been in operation since 1921, when Bowen Island was a popular holiday destination. Prior to that year, transportation to the island was by steamship from Vancouver, with only one trip daily. The Bowen Island ferry used a fleet of small passenger vessels until 1956, when a single car ferry began passenger service, and that ferry began carrying vehicles in 1958. In 2022 the route carried in excess of 1.2 million passengers plus 570,000 vehicles.

MV <i>Sechelt Queen</i> Retired ferryboat of British Columbia and Washington state

MV Chinook was a luxury automobile ferry designed by William Francis Gibbs, that operated between Seattle, Port Angeles and Victoria under the ownership of Puget Sound Navigation Company.

References

  1. Hammersmark, John. "Old and Retired Ferries". The Ferry Terminal. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  2. Photos of MV Quillayute. EvergreenFleet.com.
  3. Photos of SS Smokwa (ex-Scotian). EvergreenFleet.com.
  4. Photos of MV Jervis Queen (ex-Bainbridge). EvergreenFleet.com.
  5. Photos of MV George S. Pearson (ex-Fox Island, ex-Wollochet). EvergreenFleet.com.
  6. Photo of MV Cy Peck. EvergreenFleet.com.
  7. Photos of MV Sechelt Queen (ex-Chinoook II, ex Chinook). EvergreenFleet.com.
  8. Photos of MV Langdale Queen (ex-Kahloke, ex-City of Sacramento, ex-Asbury Park). EvergreenFleet.com.
  9. Photo of MV Pender Queen (ex-Motor Princess). EvergreenFleet.com.
  10. MarineLink.com: Sale of the MV Vesuvius Queen
  11. MarineLink.com: Sale of the MV Queen of Victoria
  12. Times Colonist, "Queen of Esquimalt sold to buyer in China", 12 July 2008 Archived 4 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Photos of MV Queen of Tsawwassen (ex-Tsawwassen). EvergreenFleet.com.
  14. Photos of MV Queen of Vancouver (ex-City of Vancouver). EvergreenFleet.com.
  15. L, Troy; reville. "Final bid for Howe Sound Queen comes in at $210,000". My Campbell River Now. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  16. Morneau, Ethan (2020-07-19). "BC Ferries' decommissioned North Island Princess on the market for $159,000". My Powell River Now. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
  17. Hammersmark, John (October 30, 2006). "North Island Princess - BC Ferries". West Coast Ferries. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  18. "News release - First look at new major vessel concepts". www.bcferries.com. Retrieved 2024-02-28.