MV Queen of New Westminster

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MV Queen of New Westminster is a Canadian roll-on/roll-off Template:Sclass2 passenger ferry operated by BC Ferries. The ship was built at Victoria Machinery Depot in Victoria, British Columbia, with the vessel's keel being laid down on May 31, 1963, and launched on July 31, 1964. The ferry entered service in 1964. In 1973 Queen of New Westminster underwent the first major refit at Burrard Dry Dock of the ferry's career. The vessel underwent further refits in 1991 and in 2007 to 2009, the latter extending the ship's service life for a further fifteen years. Queen of New Westminster is the oldest ship in service with BC Ferries.

Design and description

The Template:Sclass2 roll-on/roll-off ferries were continuations of the preceding Template:Sclass design created by naval architect Philip F. Spaulding and his Canadian partner Arthur McLaren for BC Ferries.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Queen of New Westminster is part of the third batch, and final ship, of the class. As built, the vessel was identical to the other members of class.Template:Sfn The vessel underwent a refit in 1972 in which the ship was lengthened by adding an Template:Cvt section amidships, giving the vessel a length overall of Template:Convert, a breadth of Template:Cvt and a draught of Template:Cvt.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The ship measured Template:GRT and Template:NRT. The ferry was powered by twin Mirrless diesel engines creating Template:Convert. The ship had a maximum speed of Template:Convert and a crew of 55. The vessel had capacity for 1,250 passengers and 192 cars.Template:Sfn The vessel has a single deck for vehicle stowage which is accessed by bow and stern doors.Template:Sfn A second refit in 1991 saw the ship re-engined with four Wärtsilä 9R-32D diesel engines driving two controllable-pitch propellers creating Template:Cvt.Template:Sfn<ref name="vibes">Template:Cite news</ref> Queen of New Westminster had the car deck platform ramps removed and was raised to add a second car deck, which improved her vehicle capacity.<ref name="vibes"/>

After the final refit in 2009, the vessel measures Template:Cvt long overall and Template:Cvt between perpendiculars with a beam of Template:Cvt and a draught of Template:Cvt.Template:Sfn Queen of New Westminster has a full load displacement of Template:Cvt, a Template:GT, Template:NetT and Template:DWT.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The ferry has a depth of Template:Cvt, three decks, and capacity for 1,332 passengers and crew with space for 254 cars.Template:Sfn

Construction and career

Queen of New Westminster on April 9, 1971

The ship's keel was laid down on May 31, 1963, at Victoria Machinery Depot in Victoria, British Columbia with the yard number 105.Template:Sfn Queen of New Westminster was launched on July 31, 1964, and entered service that year, registered in Victoria.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn In October 1971, Queen of New Westminster pulled out of her berth at the Departure Bay terminal while vehicle loading was in progress. A car and its two occupants fell into the water. Both of the vehicle's occupants were rescued.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Queen of New Westminster was lengthened in 1972 at Burrard Dry Dock in North Vancouver. Upon return to service following the refit, the ferry operated on the route between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay.Template:Sfn In 1991, the ship underwent another refit at Vancouver Shipyards. However, shortly after returning to service in August, the ferry returned to dry dock after significant vibrations from the ship were felt by both passengers and crew.<ref name="vibes"/> On August 13, 1992, the ship pulled out of her berth at the Departure Bay terminal while vehicle loading ramps were still lowered and resting on the ship. Three people were killed, one was seriously injured, and two others received minor injuries when a van from Alberta containing six people fell Template:Convert from the upper deck onto the lower car deck and finally into the sea below. The van was stopped and instructed to wait on the loading ramp by terminal crew members. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada determined that this incident was caused primarily by the vessel not properly following departing procedures and secondarily due to poor communication between terminal and ship crew members.Template:Sfn

Though four of Queen of New WestminsterTemplate:'s sister ships were scrapped by 2012, she had a major refit of her passenger areas between late 2007 and early 2009 to prepare her for another ten to fifteen years of service.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The ferry operates on the route between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay.Template:Sfn In September 2024, the vessel was pulled from service after losing a propeller and spilling Template:Cvt of hydraulic oil when the propeller's shaft failed. Both shafts were replaced and the rudder was also fixed after more issues were discovered.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The ferry returned to service in March 2025.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sources

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External links

• Queen of New Westminster Fan Page archive from February 2008