Queen of Surrey
Encyclopedia
M/V
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
Queen of Surrey is a double-ended C class
C class ferry
The C-Class ferries are a class of five double-ended roll-on/roll-off ferries operated by BC Ferries in the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia, all constructed between 1976 and 1981. When the vessels were first built, they were the largest ships of their kind in the world...
roll-on/roll-off ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
in the BC Ferries
BC Ferries
British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. or BC Ferries is a de facto Crown Corporation that provides all major passenger and vehicle ferry services for coastal and island communities in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
fleet. The 139.29 m (457 ft) long, 6969 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
vessel has a capacity for 362 cars and over 1,500 passengers and crew. She normally operates on BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, British Columbia
Horseshoe Bay is a West Vancouver community of about 1,000 permanent residents. Situated right on the western tip of West Vancouver, at the entrance to Howe Sound, the village marks the western end of Highway 1 on the British Columbia mainland....
to Langdale
Langdale, British Columbia
Langdale is a small community on the Sunshine Coast of southern British Columbia. It is set in a verdant environment characteristic of many small BC communities. Its main feature is the BC Ferries terminal that links the Sunshine Coast to Vancouver via Horseshoe Bay, with connecting foot-passenger...
route. She is named for the city of Surrey
Surrey, British Columbia
Surrey is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It is a member municipality of Metro Vancouver, the governing body of the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
.
The vessel was ordered in May 1979, and constructed at Burrard Yarrows Corporation in North Vancouver, British Columbia
North Vancouver, British Columbia
There are two municipalities in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, that use the name North Vancouver. These are:*The City of North Vancouver...
at a cost of $29.0 million (US). She was launched in August 1980, and delivered to BC Ferries in April 1981.
Incidents and accidents
In October 1994, the Queen of Surrey crashed into the dock at Horseshoe Bay, causing $200,000 in damage.On May 12, 2003, the vessel was disabled as a result of an engine room fire. The Queen of Capilano
I class ferry
BC Ferries operates three Intermediate Class ferries:MV Queen of Capilano * 85 vehicles* 462 passengers* 96 metre length* 2,500 gross tons* 12.5 kts* 7305 HP* Route: Horseshoe Bay ↔ Bowen IslandMV Queen of Cumberland...
was dispatched and tethered to the Queen of Surrey while tugboats were dispatched. The vessel was then towed back to shore. None of the 318 passengers were injured, but several crew members were treated for minor injuries. Some buckling of the main car deck resulted from the heat of the fire. However, no vehicles were damaged in the incident.
She returned to service on July 17, 2003.
On July 31, 2003, the vessel experienced a mechanical problem with one of its propellers. As a result, she was removed from service for emergency dry-docking to facilitate repairs, which took about five days.
Mid-life upgrade
The Queen of Surrey underwent a $40 million mid-life upgrade in early 2006 at the Washington Marine GroupWashington Marine Group
Seaspan Marine Corporation provides marine-related services to the Pacific Northwest. Within the Group are three shipyards, an intermodal ferry business, and a tug and barge transportation company that serves both domestic and international markets. Seaspan Marine Corporation is part of the...
's Vancouver Drydock in North Vancouver. The project prepared the vessel for another 20 years of service with significant mechanical and safety improvements, as well as upgraded passenger amenities and the installation of new emergency evacuation equipment. Major work included steel replacement, electrical upgrades, and modernization of elevators, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Remodelled and expanded areas included the gift shop, food service facilities, washrooms, and seating areas. She returned to service on June 27, 2006.
Sister ships
- Queen of AlberniQueen of AlberniM/V Queen of Alberni is a ferry that operates between Tsawwassen and Duke Point in British Columbia. It is part of the BC Ferry fleet.-History:...
- Queen of CoquitlamQueen of CoquitlamM/V Queen of Coquitlam is a C class vessel in the BC Ferries fleet, launched in 1976. She first operated on BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay route. For most of her life, she has been a replacement/relief vessel on all the major routes serving the Greater Vancouver Regional District...
- Queen of CowichanQueen of CowichanM/V Queen of Cowichan is a BC Ferry vessel, built in Victoria, British Columbia in 1976. It joined the other two C-class ferries built that year, the Queen of Alberni and the Queen of Coquitlam, and was followed by the Queen of Surrey and Queen of Oak Bay. The ship, like all C-class ferries, is...
- Queen of Oak BayQueen of Oak BayM/V Queen of Oak Bay is a double-ended C class roll-on/roll-off ferry in the BC Ferries fleet, launched in 1981 at Victoria, British Columbia. The long, 6,969-ton vessel has a capacity for 362 cars and over 1,500 passengers and crew. She normally operates on BC Ferries' Horseshoe Bay to...