Spirit class (1992)
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
The Spirit-Class or S-Class (English Spirit Class or S-Class ) of the shipping company BC Ferries is a series of RoPax ships that were created between 1992 and 1994. The Spirit class ferries are the shipping company's two largest RoRo ships and they are also known as "Superferries".
The route traveled by the two ferries between the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal and the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal represents a section of Highway 17 .
Construction of the ships
The two ferries were built in several shipyards, with a division of tasks (bow section - stern section - superstructures - interior work). The 200- foot bow section was built by Allied Shipbuilders Ltd. built in Vancouver while the 340 foot stern section was built by Yarrows Ltd shipyard in Victoria . The two sections were then towed to Esquimalt and connected to the hull before it was towed to Surrey . In Surrey, the hull then received its structure. The final interior work on the two ferries then took place again in Esquimalt.
Each of the two ships cost approximately 137 million Canadian dollars ( CAD ) to build .
Ships of the series
BC Ferries operates the two ferries Spirit of British Columbia and Spirit of Vancouver Island in this class . Both ships sail under the Canadian flag and are registered in Victoria . As a rule, the two ships sail the route between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland four times a day.
Surname | IMO no. Callsign |
Commissioning | Port of departure | Main line |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spirit of British Columbia | 9015668 VOSM |
1993 | Tsawwassen | Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay |
Spirit of Vancouver Island | 9030682 CFL2070 |
1994 | Swartz Bay | Swartz Bay - Tsawwassen |
Technical information
The ships were of four MAN B & W - diesel engines / driven type 6L40 54, two controllable pitch worked.
In 2016 BC Ferries signed a contract with the Gdańsk shipyard Remontowa Ship Repair Yard SA to convert the propulsion system to use LNG as fuel . The contract for around 140 million CAD included not only the changes to the drive, but a complete mid-life construction program. The program aims to keep the two ships in service for another 25 years.
The Spirit of British Columbia was rebuilt in 2017/2018, the Spirit of Vancouver in 2018/2019. During the conversion, the drive motors were replaced by four Wärtsilä dual fuel motors of the type 8L34DF, which can be operated with both diesel fuel and liquefied natural gas.
Two shaft generators driven by the main engines and a diesel generator are available for generating electricity.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Information on the Spirit of British Columbia at www.westcoastferries.ca (engl.)
- ↑ Information on the Spirit of Vancouver Island at www.westcoastferries.ca (Engl.)
- ↑ Timetable on the BC Ferries website
- ^ BC Ferries awards contract for Spirit-Class mid-life. The Medi Telegraph, March 26, 2016, accessed March 29, 2016 .
- ^ Conversion of Spirit of British Columbia recognized with Shippax award. Poland at Sea, April 14, 2019, accessed December 15, 2019 .
- ^ Spirit of Vancouver Island converted to LNG on the way to Canada. Poland at Sea, March 8, 2019, accessed December 15, 2019 .