With the B.C. Ferries fleet having reached capacity, I think it’s time to accelerate the plans to purchase new vessels for the major routes. To help to make them more future-proof, I think the new vessels should be at least 200 metres long, preferably a good deal longer.
As well as increasing the capacity, plus enabling greater efficiencies by transporting more people and vehicles at a time, it would allow for the greater possibility of changes being made to on-board amenities over the coming decades.
It would also allow for improvements over the current ferries, such as more dining options, a larger shop and a very large kids play area.
Unlike some people, I love getting the ferry. With improvements to onboard amenities, I believe that other people would, too, and would look forward to that part of the journey.
When the route between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay takes one hour and 35 minutes, plus waiting time beforehand, it is hardly a route that daily commuters can take.
Instead, let’s adopt a different philosophy, of providing comfort, relaxation and enjoyment, rather than a bare-bones platform to be transported on.
Matthew Cousins
How do larger Ferries make sense when the vast majority of sailings over a year aren’t full?
If you only need the capacity at specific times it probably makes more sense to have additional ferries that sit idle most of the time rather than spending money on fuel for empty space going back and forth all the time.
