B.C. Ferries said it will be down one ship for at least six months after the aging Queen of New Westminster’s propeller was pulled from the seabed Saturday morning.
On Tuesday, one of the vessel’s propellers fell off causing about 800 litres of light hydraulic oil to spill into the sea. B.C. Ferries said the type of oil leaked “disperses quickly in the marine environment” and no oil sheens were detected.
The company said it found a fracture on the propeller shaft on the 60-year-old vessel, likely related to structural fatigue.
Repairs are anticipated to be significant and include work on both the port and starboard propeller systems before the vessel can be returned to service, B.C. Ferries said in a statement.
The vessel’s annual refit will be conducted during this time.
Return to service timing will depend heavily on parts availability and manufacturing timelines.
B.C. Ferries president Nicolas Jimenez said the company is seeking approval from the ferry commissioner to build and add a new vessel to the major routes.
“If we had a backup vessel available, this incident would have had minimal affect on service. It underscores the importance of our fleet renewal strategy to ensure we have the capacity and resilience to manage unexpected issues and vessel repairs,” he said in a statement.
The propeller, which weighs approximately 10,000 pounds, was found half-submerged in the seabed and took two days to recover, said B.C. Ferries.
B.C. Ferries had already cancelled all sailings of Queen of New Westminster through Sept. 30 because of mechanical difficulties. It was first pulled from service on Tuesday when the propeller came off during its 6 a.m. sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, leading to the cancellation of seven sailings on the route.
The company is reviewing options for replacing some of Queen of New Westminister’s sailings; it could add sailings for Coastal Celebration and Coastal Renaissance.
Other ferries awaiting refits include Queen of Alberni, Queen of Coquitlam and Queen of Cowichan, all of which are almost 50 years of age.
With files from The Canadian Press
