A BC Ferries official says there is “no quick fix” to issues plaguing the company’s aging fleet.
The comment from Jeff Groot, BC Ferries’ executive director of communications, comes after numerous sailings of the Queen of Surrey were cancelled Sunday due to its break down only 40 minutes after returning to service following a retrofit.
At least six trips were scrapped by early afternoon, forcing the company to redeploy other vessels.
“The challenge with the fleet where it stands and the age of our vessels and a number of these challenges is there’s no quick fix,” Groot said. “It may have been avoidable a number of years ago. We’re taking action where we can right now.”
Groot said BC Ferries is not “fully in control” of investments, pointing to a decision by the BC Ferry Commissioner not to approve a request for a fifth new vessel to serve the company’s major routes to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast
As of Monday, Groot said the Queen of Surrey remains out of service.
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A replacement vessel was brought in Sunday to provide service, with that ferry operating remaining trips between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale for the remainder of the day. A return trip to Vancouver Island as well as several return sailings on Monday between Horsheshoe Bay and Duke Point were also cancelled.
As of Monday, Island Discovery also remains out of service, Groot said, while supplemental service has been added to Texada Island.
BC Ferries is moving customers who were booked on previously scheduled sailings. In situations where there are significant impacts, the company is offering compensation where possible, Groot added.
He also said they’ve offered vouchers where needed, though he didn’t say how many were given out.
In an interview with Global News on Sunday, Diana Mumford, former chair of the Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee, said more needs to be done.
“Provide us ferry service that we can depend on, and not just sometimes or most of the time,” Mumford said. “It is something we need all of the time and we have one breakdown after another.”
While Groot said operations are proceeding following the “challenging” weekend, he added that some cancellations are still possible Monday due to the strong winds forecast for B.C.
As of 8:30 a.m., BC Ferries said the 8 p.m. sailing out of Swartz Bay and the 10 p.m. trip leaving Tsawwassen are at risk of cancellation. The agency said that, in addition to weather, the potential cancellations are also due to precautionary operating limits on the Spirit of Vancouver Island stemming from a recent mechanical issue.
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