BC Ferries to Conduct Sea Trials for LNG Conversion Project

Last week, BC Ferries’ Spirit of Vancouver Island and the Spirit of British Columbia conducted sea trials in the Saanich Inlet in order to demonstrate the performance of the vessels for the three shipyards bidding on the mid-life upgrades including conversion to dual-fuel so the ships can operate on LNG.

Each vessel underwent two days of sea trials to demonstrate the operational profiles of the ships including vessel maneuverability, acceleration and speed. These trials provided the shipyards with data on control system parameters as well as peak power loads in variable weather, tide or current conditions experienced when transiting Active Pass.

“This is an important step in the bidding process for the shipyards so they can measure and verify vessel performance to provide the optimal propulsive machinery arrangements they submit as part of their bids,” said Mark Wilson, BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering.

BC Ferries is planning for the Spirit of British Columbia to be the first ship through the MLU and LNG conversion process and commence actual conversion from the fall of 2017 through the spring of 2018, and the Spirit of Vancouver Island’s to follow the following year from the fall of 2018 through the spring of 2019.

Under contract to the Province of British Columbia, BC Ferries is the service provider responsible for safe, efficient and dependable ferry service along coastal British Columbia.