North Vancouver, B.C., shipyard gets cable ferry contract

BCFerries has awarded a $15-million contract to Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards to build B.C. Ferries' first cable ferry serving the Buckley Bay-Denman Island route.

The ferry corporation says the new vessel willreplace the MVQuinitsa, an 80-metre-long vessel built in 1977, and will accommodate up to 50 vehicles and 150 passengers. Itshould be in service by the summer of 2015.

The announcement comes a week after BCFerries commissioner Gordon Macatee approved the capital expenditure.

Since then, there has been some opposition to the cable ferry.Denman Island residents have expressed concerns about its safety and reliability.

BCFerries vice president of engineering Mark Wilson says the request-for-proposals, or RFP, issued in September2013resulted in three shortlisted shipyards two in Vancouver and one in Seattle, following a worldwide tendering process.

"We are pleased that Seaspans Vancouver Shipyards is the successful bidder and that the ship will be built here in British Columbia, he said.

Seaspanpresident Brian Carter says the announcement is good news for B.C. shipyard workers.

Seaspan has a long-standing history of working with BC Ferries and we are very pleased they are investing in this new vessel and helping Seaspan invest in its shipyard workers and our new facility," he said.

In a written statement announcing the Seaspan contract,BCFerries says the cable ferry will save the company $80 million over its 40-year life compared to the cost of running the current ship, which will help reduce the pressure on future fare increases.