After a competitive bidding process, BC Ferries has sold the 52 year-old M/V Tenaka to Lady Rose Marine Services of Port Alberni, British Columbia, BC Ferries said April 11.
The 43-meter (141-foot) M/V Tenaka was built in 1964 at Victoria Machinery Depot, and accommodates up to 24 vehicles and 100 passengers and crew. The vessel primarily serviced the Quadra Island – Cortes Island route and last sailed in the fleet in December 2014.
Lady Rose Marine Services is expected to take possession of the vessel in mid-May and after they conduct a drydock and maintenance period, they intend to put the vessel into service by the end of this year, providing passenger and freight service from the Alberni Inlet.
“When retiring vessels from our fleet, our first preference is always to find a buyer who will use the ship for continued commercial operation so we are pleased that the M/V Tenaka will continue to operate right here in British Columbia,” BC Ferries Vice President of Engineering Mark Wilson said.
Lady Rose Marine Services, which has been in business for more than 70 years, provides passenger and freight service from the Alberni Inlet to Bamfield and Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
“With the acquisition of the M/V Tenaka, we will continue to be the biggest tourism operator in Port Alberni employing local staff and supporting local businesses,” Lady Rose Marine Services owner Mike Surrell said.
BC Ferries declined to disclose the price it received for the M/V Tenaka, citing the upcoming sale of two other ferries that are to be retired soon. The company said it needs to “protect the competitive bid processes for those sales and maximize the price received” for the ships.
