We are pleased to announce that the County of Frontenac has joined CFA.
The County of Frontenac operates between Frontenac and Howe Island.
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February 4, 2015 - Times Colonist
Predictions of liquefied natural gas powering B.C.’s future are still mostly talk, but at least one LNG dream will come true. B.C. Ferries has signed a 10-year deal that will see FortisBC provide LNG to power three ferries being built in Poland. In addition, the ferries corporation has received approval to refit its two largest ferries — the Spirit of Vancouver Island and the Spirit of British Columbia — so they can also operate on natural gas.
In promoting LNG exports, Premier Christy Clark has repeatedly emphasized the cleaner, greener aspects of natural gas as an energy source. Fuelling B.C. ferries with natural gas fits well with those efforts. It’s not a bad public-relations exercise.
But of course, it’s far more than that. Using natural gas is better for the environment and good for the budget of B.C. Ferries. Even with lower oil prices, using LNG will save the corporation money — natural gas is 30 per cent cheaper than the marine diesel fuel now burned in the ferries.
It also means B.C. is joining those leading the way in reducing emissions from marine vehicles. Legislation around the world aims to limit emissions from ships’ engines, many of which burn heavy bunker oil, the tar-like stuff left over after all the better stuff is taken out of crude oil. It’s about the cheapest fuel there is, but it’s also the dirtiest. One study concluded that 16 of the world’s largest ships produce as much sulphur pollution as all the world’s cars combined.
Natural gas, while it does give off carbon dioxide when burned, yields almost no sulphur and a fraction of the nitrogen oxides produced by the burning of bunker oil or marine diesel.
The move toward using LNG as a marine fuel is gaining momentum. With increasingly stricter emissions regulations, ships’ owners are faced with installing “scrubber” technology on existing power plants or adopting new types of less-polluting fuels, including LNG. While the conversion to natural gas is happening mainly with smaller vessels, one marine risk-management society estimates that LNG will be the dominant fuel used by merchant ships within 40 years.
B.C. Ferries’ venture into the use of LNG is welcome, but it is by no means a first. LNG-powered ferries have been built in Norway since 2000, and that country has 20 car and passenger ferries operating on LNG. STQ, Quebec’s ferry company, has ordered three new LNG ferries, and Washington State Ferries is proposing to use LNG on its vessels, as is Staten Island Ferries in New York. LNG passenger vessels are under construction or planned in Argentina, Finland, Uruguay and Sweden.
B.C.’s new and refitted ferries will operate with dual-fuel systems, running mainly on natural gas, but using diesel as a backup.
“We have every intention to operate full-time on LNG,” Mark Wilson, B.C. Ferries’ vice-president of engineering, said last July as he announced the signing of the contract for the new ferries with the Polish company Remontowa Shipbuilding.
Running those five vessels on LNG will save about $12 million a year in fuel costs, about 10 per cent of B.C. Ferries’ annual fuel bill. The environmental savings are a little harder to measure, but they will still be significant.
While B.C. Ferries’ LNG effort seems modest compared to the shining dreams of LNG prosperity promised in the last provincial election, at least it’s an effort that is assured to bring some benefits to British Columbians in the foreseeable future.
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February 3, 2015 St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador – Transport Canada
The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, and Marine Atlantic’s President and CEO Paul Griffin announced today that Marine Atlantic has renewed the lease agreement for the MV Atlantic Vision until November 2017, allowing existing ferry service routes to connect Newfoundland and Labrador with the rest of Canada.
Chartering this vessel provides Marine Atlantic with better options for fleet configuration and helps improve the service to Port aux Basques, Argentia and North Sydney.
Since being introduced to Marine Atlantic’s service, customer satisfaction with the MV Atlantic Vision has grown steadily.
“The renewal of the MV Atlantic Vision lease term is very good news for all the passengers and businesses that use the ferry services between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.
“The Government of Canada is investing in Marine Atlantic’s vessels as they play an important role in connecting the communities, businesses and economies of Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.”
The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport
“Today’s announcement is very important for Marine Atlantic, our customers and the people of Atlantic Canada who rely on our service each and every day. With this three-year renewal, we will continue our long-term planning initiatives and further evaluate the best options for our future fleet configuration. Having the MV Atlantic Vision available for service over the next three years will ensure we continue strengthening our operations and have the necessary infrastructure available to meet the needs of our customers. We are proud to see the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to strengthening our service for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and all of Atlantic Canada.”
Paul Griffin
Marine Atlantic’s President and CEO
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02/02/2015 - Vancouver Sun
VICTORIA - BC Ferries has signed a 10-year contract with FortisBC to supply liquefied natural gas for three ferries currently under construction.
The first vessel is expected to be operating in late 2016, with the other two ferries set to join the fleet the following year.
Fortis will supply about 7.8 million litres of gas a year by the time all three vessels are in service.
Ferries' vice-president of engineering Mark Wilson says the contract will ensure a long-term supply of power for the three new intermediate-class vessels that will each accommodate 145 vehicles and 600 passengers.
BC Ferries says LNG is at least 30 per cent cheaper than diesel and the company is expected to save money on fuel, even with the current drop in oil prices.
The company says FortisBC provided BC Ferries with $6 million in incentive funding for the new vessels to help offset capital costs associated with the use of LNG, though it did not provide information on the value of the contract.
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January 21, 2015 – Ottawa – Transport Canada
Rodney Weston, Member of Parliament for Saint John, and Greg Kerr, Member of Parliament for West Nova, on behalf of the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, today launched the process to choose a name for the replacement vessel for the MV Princess of Acadia, which serves the Saint John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia ferry route.
The Government of Canada invites the public to participate in the naming process. Submission forms are available on the current vessel, the MV Princess of Acadia, at both ferry terminals in Saint John and Digby, as well as online at www.ferries.ca/naming.
The top name suggestions that meet the eligibility criteria and are available from the Canadian Register of Vessels will be presented to the Minister of Transport for the final selection of a name. The chosen name will be announced prior to the introduction of the vessel into service in 2015.
"The Harper Government knows this ferry service is a vital component of life and commerce in this region. We welcome suggestions from people across the country to help place a name on this vessel that reflects the proud heritage of the Maritimes."
Rodney Weston
Member of Parliament for Saint John
"All Canadians are encouraged to suggest a name of distinction for our new ferry. This ferry service has connected communities and visitors in Eastern Canada for many years and will continue to do so when this new vessel is introduced into service."
Greg Kerr
Member of Parliament for West Nova
21/01/2015 - Telegraph Journal
A contest to name the ferry that will replace the Princess of Acadia was announced Wednesday simultaneously on both sides of the Bay of Fundy.
Rodney Weston, MP for Saint John was at the ferry terminal in Saint John and Greg Kerr, MP for West Nova, was in Digby to announce the contest which remains open until Feb. 20. Submission forms are available on the Princess of Acadia, at both ferry terminals and online at ferries.ca/naming.
The top name suggestions that meet the eligibility criteria for the registry of Canadian vessels will be presented to the Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt for the final selection.
In December, nearly 18 months after the announcement that the MV Princess of Acadia ferry would be replaced, the new ferry made its first appearance in Saint John after a 9,400-kilometre journey from Greece. Formerly named the MV Blue Star Ithaki, it was renamed the MV Canada2014 for the journey but will be renamed again before it goes into regular service.
“It’s a major link that connects families, businesses and communities that are separated by the Bay of Fundy,” Weston said of the ferry service. “It not only generates jobs but it stimulates the economy of this region.”
Officials are looking for names that promote Canadian culture, history or geography and the winner should have regional significance, Weston said.
The name should be brief and easy to understand, so complicated spellings and pronunciations are not recommended, according to the guidelines.
The organizers will not consider naming the ferry after any living person but will look at suggestions of names of people who have died.
There is no prize or award for the winning submission.
The ferry is a significant investment by the government of Canada and shows how important the service is to the economy of the region, Weston said.
“Since 2006 we have invested more than $41 million ensuring that this service continues,” he said.
Some have questioned the expenditure but officials at both the federal and provincial levels of government believe it is worth it.
“With the current economic situation this is the last place you would want to cut,” Weston said. “This promotes economic activity. This continues trade between out two provinces.”
The ferry is considered a vital service in Atlantic Canada, he said.
“It’s not somewhere we want to look at cutting back at this point in time,” he said.
The new ferry is expected to go into service in the spring of this year. It is currently undergoing renovations in Halifax to convert the engines from heavy oil to marine diesel, Weston said. After the engine work some minor retrofitting will have to be done to the docks in both Saint John and Digby to accommodate the new vessel.
Weston said he has toured the vessel in Halifax and says it looks good.
“The Princess of Acadia has served us well but her time is getting close,” Weston said.
The Greek ferry is much newer and should be more reliable because of its age, he said.
Serge Buy, CEO of the Canadian Ferry Associations, said his organization is glad to see the public has been asked to be involved in the naming process.
His only criticism is that the contest is limited to one month and suggested it could have been launched earlier.
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Times Colonist - January 19, 2015
The first of three new intermediate-class vessels for B.C. Ferries is now under construction at a Gdansk shipyard on the Baltic Sea.
Steel was cut for the first time on Friday, marking the start of construction of modules that will make up the hull. B.C. Ferries officials were on hand for the ceremony at Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in northern Poland.
B.C. Ferries is paying Remontowa $165 million to design, build and deliver the ferries. The first is expected to arrive in late summer 2016.
“It’s exciting that we are able to replace some assets that are approaching 50 years of age,” Mark Wilson, vice-president of engineering for B.C. Ferries, said Monday.
“These will be a significant advancement forward in terms of technology that is going to drive operational efficiencies and improve elements of safety.”
The first ship will replace the 49-year-old Queen of Burnaby, operating between Comox and Powell River. The next ship will take over for the 50-year-old Queen of Nanaimo, which serves the Southern Gulf Islands-Tsawwassen route. The third vessel will be used in peak and shoulder seasons on the Southern Gulf Islands run and to serve as a relief vessel.
The ferries will be the first in the fleet to rely on liquefied natural gas, with low-sulphur diesel fuel as a backup.
Polish news agencies covered the start of the Ferries job, pointing out the economic value of the contract. Remontowa is considered a global leader in LNG-powered vessels.
But to some British Columbians, the province’s ferries should always be built in B.C. Seaspan was the only Canadian company shortlisted for the job, but it withdrew due to the demands of other work required for the federal government.
The new ferries’ general hull shape has been determined even though the entire ship design has still to be completed, Wilson said. All the ferries will be identical — 351 feet long, with capacity of 145 vehicles and 600 passengers.
Next on the agenda is the keel-laying ceremony planned in March. After that, the major hull will be launched, likely in November, he said.
A significant amount of work takes place after the hull goes in the water. “All of the superstructure of the vessel is put on. All your main machinery and auxiliary systems go into the vessel and are hooked up and wired up,” Wilson said.
By June 2016, the vessel should be ready for harbour trials. All the systems, such as electrical distribution, fresh water and communications, will be tested individually, he said. That will be followed by testing of integrated systems, such as starting and stopping the main engines and testing bridge control.
Then it will be on to sea trials, where a vessel’s performance is examined while on the water. The ship will probably be delivered in August 2016 when it will be formally accepted by B.C. Ferries. Up until it arrives here, the shipyard owns it.
For the second vessel, steel will be cut in April, followed by keel-laying in June and a launch in January 2016. Steel will be cut on the third vessel in July of this year, followed by keel-laying in September and a launch in May 2016.
B.C. Ferries has set up an office in Gdansk for the duration of the project. There are two Ferries staff and that will grow in the next few months to five or six staff, Wilson said.
Those staffers are working with 300 drawings, covering about 10 major categories, that need to be finalized, Wilson said. These include hull, electrical and ventilation systems. Wilson expects it will take another two to three months to reach the design-finalization stage.
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Marine News' January 2015 edition focuses on Passenger Vessels and Ferries, and includes an article from CFA's CEO, Serge Buy.
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Cape Breton Post - January 14, 2015
Corporation says reductions won't last forever
ST. JOHN'S (TC Media) — Marine Atlantic announced today it will pass on savings it is experiencing as a result of cheaper oil prices to customers.
However, it warns the price drop will be short lived.
“Due to the ongoing drop in international oil prices, Marine Atlantic will be passing along short-term savings directly to customers. Effective immediately, the fuel surcharge will be decreased by six per cent,” says the news release.
While the fuel surcharge is being decreased at this time due to internal fuel savings initiatives and the declining price of oil, Marine Atlantic expects future increases will be necessary as the corporation is required to move to more expensive marine diesel fuel to meet new environmental regulations by the year 2018,” it says.
Marine Atlantic says the switch will be made during the next three years through a blended fuel process which will result in fuel costs rising until all vessels have converted to use 100 per cent marine diesel.
As a result of the increased fuel costs required to meet these environmental regulations, future fuel surcharge increases are expected, the company says in the release.
The fuel surcharge will be continuously monitored to determine when changes are necessary as a result of these regulatory requirements.
As well effective April 1, passenger fares, vehicle fares and the drop trailer management fee will increase by 2.6 per cent. “The tariff rate adjustments are necessary to reflect the continuing increased costs associated with materials, supplies and labour and ensure a strong and reliable service for customers,” says the release.
Marine Atlantic will not be increasing cabin prices or the security fee at this time.
Reservations are now available up to and including March 31, 2016.
The complete 2015-16 sailing schedule is available at www.marineatlantic.ca .
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Marine News - January, 9, 2015
By Serge Buy, CEO of CFA
Our country’s past and its future are fundamentally linked to the transportation of people, vehicles and goods over our lakes, rivers and sea. Ferries have always been an integral part of Canada’s transportation infrastructure. Today, the geo-political relevance, the economic impact and the environment footprint of ferries continue to show that the sector is a crucial part of Canada’s infrastructure.
Nationally, nearly 50 million people and more than 18 million vehicles travel on Canada’s ferries each year. When compared to the air and rail travel industry – which transport 50 million and 75 million passengers respectively, according to their recent data – ferries are very clearly an important part of the transportation scene in Canada. Every day, ferries bring tens of thousands of people to work, tourists to their destinations and goods to isolated markets. Indeed, there are places in Canada where ships are the only link to the mainland and all goods need to be moved by ferries, including daily necessities like food and fuel.
Ferry operators provide constitutionally mandated services, the only access to some communities, linkages between parts of major urban centres (such as in Vancouver, Halifax), access to some airports (Toronto and Prince Rupert), and crossing of various waterways. Whether you are traveling across the Georgia Strait to Vancouver Island, voyaging across the Bay of Fundy from Digby to Saint John or commuting to work from Lévis to Québec City, Canadian ferry operators are responsible for getting you there.
Growth in Canada’s ferry industry doesn’t just stop at ridership. Ferry operators are poised, in the next five years, to make significant investments and upgrades to their fleets. Some are purchasing new vessels while others are retrofitting and upgrading older vessels. That’s on top of directly and indirectly providing meaningful employment to more than 20,000 Canadians.
While investments in capital and human resources are a measure of the importance of the sector, what is more difficult to measure is the economic impact of ferries on communities, businesses and residents. Without ferries, some communities would be unable to get crucial goods such as food and fuel while others would need to have these goods transported by trucks with detours of hundreds of kilometres in some situations.
Our ferries are always working toward a greener tomorrow and looking for ways to minimize their carbon footprint. Now, more than ever, we are seeing innovative technologies – such as LNG-fuelled vessels – being developed to help ferry operators achieve this goal. These new investments will reduce fuel costs and help keep the price of fares low while reducing carbon emissions by up to 25%.
LNG has been heralded by major players in the industry – including BC Ferries CEO and President, Mike Corrigan, who recently said it would be a “game-changer” for the country’s largest service provider. “After labor, our biggest operating cost is diesel fuel,” Corrigan explained in late 2014, adding, “We believe LNG is the fuel of the future.”
Canadian operators have ordered 8 new LNG ferries and are taking steps to convert 2 existing ship to LNG. This includes:
Canada’s ferry industry is well-positioned to become a world leader in using LNG technology in their vessels. Already, tucked away in Île Verte, Québec is North America’s first hybrid ferry. Operated by Société des Traversiers du Québec (STQ), the MV Peter Fraser moves approximately 20,000 passengers and 5,000 vehicles a year. This vessel is a prime example of how ferry operators in Canada are leading the way in maritime environmental stewardship.
Annually, ferry operators in Canada gather to discuss issues related to our industry and share best practices. The theme of our upcoming conference, Cutting Edge: New Technologies in the Ferry Sector, could not me more timely. We encourage you to attend and showcase your products and services to ferry operators in Canada. To register, or for more information, please visit: www.cfoa.ca/conference.
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