V class ferry
Encyclopedia
The V Class Ferries, also known as Victoria Class, includes BC Ferries
ships built between 1962 and 1963. These vessels were the backbone of service on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route prior to the arrival of the in 1993. Some of these vessels underwent vehicle capacity increases three times.
The vessels were slated to be retired and sold in 2008
The transfer of the Esquimalt was halted and she is now being ship-breaked in Ensenada, Mexico. http://maritimematters.com/2011/06/former-queen-of-esquimalt-leaves-canada-for-mexico/
The seven ships constructed were soon modified to increase vehicle capacity twice. The first was the installation of platform decks or ramps, the seconds saw the ships sliced in half vertically across the beam for the insertion of an 84 foot mid-section, which dramatically increased the length of the seven ships.
Later, five of the seven ships (excluding MV Queen of Burnaby, and MV Queen of Nanaimo
) were cut horizontally from bow to stern to have a new vehicle deck inserted. As a result, the two ships left without the new car deck were removed from the V class designation to become Burnaby class vessels
.
The MV Queen of New Westminster
was later fit with new engines to make it travel at a speed comparable to the newer Cowichan class
ferries. The New West was then also dropped from the V class designation, and is now officially unclassed.
Former MV City of Vancouver
Built: Vancouver, British Columbia, 1962
Retired: April 15, 2009 - Sold to Coast Marine. She will be stripped to her hull at a later date. Currently moored at Woodfibre
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 9,000 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 9MU551AK
Service speed: 18.5 knots (34 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,357.22
Car capacity: 338
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,708
Route: Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay
Queen of Saanich (retired)
Built: Victoria, British Columbia
, 1963
Retired: November 18, 2008 - Sold. Renamed Owen Belle. Now in use as a logging camp on the coast of the Vancouver Island
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 8,941 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 8M551AK
Service speed: 18.5 knots (34 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,301.65
Car capacity: 360
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,708
Route: Swartz Bay – Tsawwassen
Queen of Esquimalt (retired)
Built: Victoria, British Columbia
, 1963
Retired: May 25, 2008 - Sold to Dalian Golden Sun I/E Co., Ltd. Renamed Princess Jacqueline. The vessel is now being scrapped in Ensenada, Mexico
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 8,500 hp (6.3 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 8M551AK
Service speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,304
Car capacity: 376
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,656
Route: Langdale - Horseshoe Bay
(summer), spare ship in all other seasons.
Queen of Victoria (retired)
Former MV City of Victoria
Built: Victoria, British Columbia
, 1962
Retired: 2001 - sold to R & G Importadora & Exportadora of the Dominican Republic. Renamed Queen of Ocoa. Scrapped in 2006 at Alang.
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 9,000 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 9MU551AK
Service speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,294
Car capacity: 286
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,360
Route: Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay
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...
ships built between 1962 and 1963. These vessels were the backbone of service on the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route prior to the arrival of the in 1993. Some of these vessels underwent vehicle capacity increases three times.
The vessels were slated to be retired and sold in 2008
The transfer of the Esquimalt was halted and she is now being ship-breaked in Ensenada, Mexico. http://maritimematters.com/2011/06/former-queen-of-esquimalt-leaves-canada-for-mexico/
History and sub-classes
When the Victoria Class ferries were constructed, a total of seven were constructed.- Original seven V class vessels
- MV Queen of Victoria
- MV Queen of Vancouver
- MV Queen of Saanich
- MV Queen of Esquimalt
- MV Queen of New Westminster
- MV Queen of Burnaby
- MV Queen of Nanaimo
The seven ships constructed were soon modified to increase vehicle capacity twice. The first was the installation of platform decks or ramps, the seconds saw the ships sliced in half vertically across the beam for the insertion of an 84 foot mid-section, which dramatically increased the length of the seven ships.
Later, five of the seven ships (excluding MV Queen of Burnaby, and MV Queen of Nanaimo
MV Queen of Nanaimo
The MV Queen of Nanaimo is a Burnaby class passenger vessel operated by BC Ferries.The ship was built in 1964 by Victoria Machinery Depot. In 1969 the ship was rebuilt and extended 25 meters in length. It currently operates on the Tsawwassen-Gulf Islands route web...
) were cut horizontally from bow to stern to have a new vehicle deck inserted. As a result, the two ships left without the new car deck were removed from the V class designation to become Burnaby class vessels
Burnaby class ferry
There are two ferries in BC Ferries' fleet, built between 1964 and 1965, which fit into the Burnaby class. They are the Queen of Burnaby, and the Queen of Nanaimo....
.
The MV Queen of New Westminster
MV Queen of New Westminster
The MV Queen of New Westminster is a Canadian roll-on, roll-off passenger ferry operated by BC Ferries.The vessel was built as a V class ferry in 1964, and retains most of the characteristics of the other V class ferries, but is not considered a V class ferry because of its improved powerplants...
was later fit with new engines to make it travel at a speed comparable to the newer Cowichan 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...
ferries. The New West was then also dropped from the V class designation, and is now officially unclassed.
- Current designations of original seven V class vessels
- V Class (With ramps, stretch, and raise)
- MV Queen of Victoria (retired)
- MV Queen of Vancouver (retired)
- MV Queen of Saanich (retired)
- MV Queen of Esquimalt (retired)
- Burnaby Class (With ramps and stretch)
- MV Queen of Burnaby
- MV Queen of Nanaimo
- Unclassed (With ramps, stretch, raise, and engine refit)
- MV Queen of New Westminster
- V Class (With ramps, stretch, and raise)
Current V class vessels
Queen of Vancouver (retired)Former MV City of Vancouver
Built: Vancouver, British Columbia, 1962
Retired: April 15, 2009 - Sold to Coast Marine. She will be stripped to her hull at a later date. Currently moored at Woodfibre
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 9,000 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 9MU551AK
Service speed: 18.5 knots (34 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,357.22
Car capacity: 338
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,708
Route: Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay
Queen of Saanich (retired)
Built: Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, 1963
Retired: November 18, 2008 - Sold. Renamed Owen Belle. Now in use as a logging camp on the coast of the Vancouver Island
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 8,941 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 8M551AK
Service speed: 18.5 knots (34 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,301.65
Car capacity: 360
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,708
Route: Swartz Bay – Tsawwassen
Queen of Esquimalt (retired)
Built: Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, 1963
Retired: May 25, 2008 - Sold to Dalian Golden Sun I/E Co., Ltd. Renamed Princess Jacqueline. The vessel is now being scrapped in Ensenada, Mexico
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 8,500 hp (6.3 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 8M551AK
Service speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,304
Car capacity: 376
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,656
Route: Langdale - 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....
(summer), spare ship in all other seasons.
Queen of Victoria (retired)
Former MV City of Victoria
Built: Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, 1962
Retired: 2001 - sold to R & G Importadora & Exportadora of the Dominican Republic. Renamed Queen of Ocoa. Scrapped in 2006 at Alang.
Length: 129.9 m (426 ft)
Power: 9,000 hp (6.7 MW)
Propulsion: Two MaK 9MU551AK
Service speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)
Gross tons: 9,294
Car capacity: 286
Passenger & crew capacity: 1,360
Route: Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay