The Bowen Queen is being put into service today to replace the Queen of Nanaimo while a mechanical issue is fixed.
The Nanaimo was removed from service Thursday due to a mechanical problem on the starboard controllable pitch propeller.
Beginning with the 2:35 p.m. sailing from Long Harbour, the Bowen Queen will service all Queen of Nanaimo scheduled sailings through to the end of Monday, July 31.
The Salish Eagle will continue to provide service on the Tsawwassen-Southern Gulf Islands route, whose summer schedule requires two vessels to maintain.
“Unfortunately, the Bowen Queen has less vehicle capacity than the Queen of Nanaimo and does not have an elevator,” states a BC Ferries press release. “If the Bowen Queen reaches capacity or customers require an elevator, they can travel from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay to connect to the Southern Gulf Islands. This route has large capacity and many customer amenities. BC Ferries’ customer service representatives are standing by to assist any travellers with questions.”
Further updates will be provided as soon as more information becomes available. For the most up to date travel information, follow @BCFerries on Twitter.
“We apologize to our customers for this inconvenience caused by the Queen of Nanaimo’s malfunction and we are working as quickly as possible to complete the repairs,” said Mark Collins, BC Ferries’ president and CEO. “We have the Bowen Queen going into service on this route and we are making every effort to keep all sailings as scheduled.”
The Queen of Nanaimo was also out of service due to a controllable pitch propeller problem for several days beginning June 22. No replacement vessel was available at that time.
The 53-year-old Nanaimo is due to be retired at the end of this summer.