BC Ferries’ Queen of Cumberland has just completed a major mid-life upgrade and was returned to regular service on the company’s Swartz Bay – Southern Gulf Islands route on April 22.
The Queen of Cumberland, built in 1992, is 96-meter long (314.9-foot) vessel that has a passenger and crew capacity of 456 and a car capacity of 127. It also has a maximum displacement of 2,662 tons and can travel at a top speed of 13 knots.
The mid-life upgrade and refit was conducted at Esquimalt Drydock Co. of Victoria, British Columbia. Some of the work conducted included:
- Main propulsion system overhaul and upgraded propulsion control system.
- Installation of a new evacuation system and replacement of the rescue boat.
- Installation of LED navigation lights.
- A complete electrical system overhaul.
- The installation of a pet area.
- Alarm and monitoring system renewal.
- A complete elevator system overhaul.
“Investing in mid-life upgrades on our vessels is very important so we can maintain fleet reliability, safety standards and customer service,” BC Ferries’ Vice President of Engineering Mark Wilson said. “The Queen of Cumberland is 24 years old now and our strict maintenance and refit regime will allow us to operate the ship for another 20 years.”
BC Ferries, under contract to the Province of British Columbia, is the service provider responsible for ferry service along coastal British Columbia.
