VIDEO: Remontowa launches LNG-fueled ferry
Written by Nick Blenkey
The 107-meter Salish Class vessels can carry at least 138 vehicles and up to 600 passengers and crew and are capable of running on LNG or ultra-low sulfur diesel.
Canada’s BC Ferries has released a video showing the launch of its fourth liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled Salish Class vessel at Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in Gdansk, Poland,
Work at the shipyard will continue until the ferry’s scheduled sea trials in late 2021, following which it will make the 10,440 nautical mile journey from Gdansk, \ to British Columbia in early 2022.
The vessel is identical to the three Salish Class vessels built by Remontowa for BC Ferries in 2016-2017.
BC Ferries issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) for the construction of the vessel to leading shipyards in Canada and around the world in July 2018. Canadian shipyards were invited to participate in the competitive bidding process. BC Ferries received responses from 16 international shipyards and short-listed three shipyards to proceed to the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage. No Canadian companies submitted a bid.
The 107-meter Salish Class vessels can carry at least 138 vehicles and up to 600 passengers and crew and are capable of running on LNG or ultra-low sulfur diesel. Using primarily LNG to fuel the new ship will result in reduced emissions and reduced costs for BC Ferries. When the ship enters service, it will allow for the retirement of the Mayne Queen, a diesel-fueled vessel.
