The Sonia begins her journey to North Coast soon, with a four month pit stop in Victoria set for December for modifications. The Victoria Times-Colonist is reporting that the replacement vessel for the Queen of the North, will be handed over to Victoria Shipyards on December 16th for a 9 million dollar refit to bring it up to Canadian maritime standards.
The ship will get a new name along with the new paint when BC Ferries officially reflags and renames the vessel, all with an eye towards introducing her to service on the Northcoast in April of 2007.
While the ship gets upgraded in Victoria, BC Ferries will be spending 4 million dollars to modify four northern docks to accomodate the Sonia, which will include the Prince Rupert Ferry dock.
Victoria Shipyards earns $9-million ferry contract
Judith Lavoie
Victoria Times Colonist
Thursday, November 02, 2006
B.C. Ferries has awarded Victoria Shipyards a $9-million contract to modify the Sonia, the ship which will replace the Queen of the North.
About 150 people will work on the ship, which is due to arrive in Victoria about Dec. 16.
Malcolm Barker, Victoria Shipyards general manager, said he is delighted B.C. Ferries has opted to have the work done locally.
"When you give us the opportunity, we put our best foot forward," he said. "We competed against yards in Europe similar to us and, at the end of the day, we were successful."
Victoria Shipyards bid for the refurbishing work against three Greek shipyards. Key criteria were price, speed and technical quality.
The work is likely to be completed toward the end of February and the ship will then go to Deas Pacific Marine in Richmond, a B.C. Ferry Services subsidiary, for the finishing touches.
The renamed and reflagged ship is scheduled to start servicing B.C. Ferries' Port Hardy-Prince Rupert-Queen Charlotte Islands routes in April 2007.
Northern communities have been struggling with reduced ferry service since the Queen of the North sank March 22.
George MacPherson, president of the Shipyard General Workers Federation of B.C., said the contract for Victoria Shipyards "is another feather in the cap for the industry."
"It's interesting that they went to international tender and, once again, B.C. yards came in with a low bid," he said.
Work on the Sonia includes updating safety and security equipment, modifying the stern ramp to be compatible with B.C. Ferries berths, upgrading electrical, heating and lighting systems, and reconfiguring the gift shop and common areas.
The galley area has to be extensively renovated to meet B.C. Ferries standards, said B.C. Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall.
The 117-metre Sonia, which was built in 2004 and, most recently, ran between Barcelona and Ibiza, is in Greece, where she is being painted and prepared for the transatlantic trip.
Before she sets off on the voyage, which includes sailing through the Panama Canal, the ship's engines will be modified to use cleaner-burning marine diesel fuel.
About 25 B.C. Ferries crew members will sail the ship from Greece to Victoria, leaving Nov. 15.
The Sonia will carry at least 600 passengers and 101 vehicles, has 70 cabins and can cruise at 20.3 knots.
The Queen of the North, built in 1969, could carry 650 passengers, 115 vehicles, had 55 cabins and a speed of 19 knots.
B.C. Ferries is buying the Sonia for $50.6 million, the total refit cost is $18 million and modifications to the docks at Port Hardy, Prince Rupert, Skidegate and McLoughlin Bay will cost about $4 million.
jlavoie@tc.canwest.com
© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2006
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