New Salish Class vessel sets sail from Poland bound for B.C.
Salish Heron to arrive in February and begin service in 2022
VICTORIA – BC Ferries’ new Salish Class vessel is now on its way to British Columbia. Salish Heron left Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in Gdansk, Poland on December 22. It is the fourth Salish Class vessel to join BC Ferries’ fleet and will commence service next year.
It will take approximately 55 days for Salish Heron to make the transoceanic voyage, depending on weather. The ship will sail approximately 10,440 nautical miles across the Atlantic Ocean, through the Panama Canal and up the Pacific Coast of North America arriving at Victoria’s Ogden Point for inspection in February. It will then move to BC Ferries’ Fleet Maintenance Unit in Richmond for final preparations, including the application of the exterior artwork designed by Coast Salish artist Maynard Johnny Jr.
The Salish Class vessels operate on liquefied natural gas, a cleaner fuel than diesel. The hull design creates a very small wake and the electric propulsion and structural design ensure a quiet ride. The Indigenous artwork on each Salish class vessel is an acknowledgement of the Coast Salish sailors as original navigators of these coastal waters.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Salish Heron into service next year,” said Captain Jamie Marshall, BC Ferries’ Vice President, Shipbuilding & Innovation. “Given our presence in coastal waters, we are determined to conduct our operations in an environmentally responsible way in our transition to a lower carbon future.”
Salish Heron is identical to the three Salish Class ferries which entered service in 2017, with capacity to carry up to 138 vehicles and up to 600 passengers and crew. With three identical vessels already in service, BC Ferries is realizing the benefits of standardization as crew training is being completed on ferries currently in operation.