BC Ferries has welcomed its newest vessel, Salish Orca, into service today for inaugural sailings on the Comox – Powell River route.
President & CEO Mark Collins cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the first official car on board the new vessel. Salish Orca is the first of three new Salish Class vessels that are dual-fuel and capable of operating on either natural gas or ultra-low sulphur marine diesel.
BC Ferries’ use of natural gas for these vessels will result in the reduction of an estimated 9,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, the same as taking approximately 1,900 passenger vehicles off the road annually.
As for the other new ferries, the Salish Eagle is expected to start servicing the Tsawassen-Southern Gulf Islands route in late June while the Salish Raven departed a shipyard in Poland in late April to come to B.C.