It was a rough start to the year for the Queen of Surrey, as well as the many customers who had New Year Day's plans disrupted by cancellations that lasted until 6:30 p.m., and it wasn't a mere seasonal mechanical cough that put the boat out of commission.
Shiryn Sayani, Senior Communications Advisor for the corporation confirmed to Coast Reporter that the Queen of Surrey experienced a propulsion system issue on New Years’ Day and will remain out of service until Jan. 28. While that ship undergoes necessary repairs, the Queen of Coquitlam is operating on the Langdale–Horseshoe Bay route “to ensure seamless service for our customers," according to Sayani's email. According to the Jan. 8 “Current Conditions” listings on BC Ferries website for Route 3, the Queen of Cowichan is performing L-run duties.
“The Queen of Surrey has been a reliable part of our fleet for over 40 years, but its current situation underscores the growing challenges of maintaining aging vessels. This reinforces the critical need for fleet renewal to improve reliability and meet evolving customer expectations,” the message stated.
Sayani also detailed that nearly 2,000 customers on BC Ferries major routes, including Horseshoe Bay–Langdale, had been surveyed about the firms plans to build new vessels, adding that “the response was overwhelmingly supportive, with 95% of participants backing the plan to add an additional vessel to the fleet. Customers made it clear that moving forward with these investments is critical to improving their travel experience.”
She added “The BC Ferries Commissioner is also gathering public feedback on the New Major Vessels project until Jan. 17 to ensure our fleet renewal plan aligns with public interest and financial sustainability. A decision is expected after that date, which will determine the next steps for this project. In the meantime, we remain committed to keeping customers informed as we work toward creating a more reliable ferry system for the future”.
