Pride of Canterbury type for BC Ferries?

[Political Incorrectness]

should BC Ferries get some vessels like this one? If pic doesn't show up go to google and search Pride of Caterbury by using the image search

[YZFNick]

What are the specs (vehic, pass, HP) on the ship?

[Political Incorrectness]

600 cars 2000 passengers though I think that is because of amenities like a full serve restarunt abord so I think capacity could be bigger it can carry trucks on both decks and has a platfrom deck on the second deck HP I will check and I checked unit conversion and it would require that the wingwalls at the terminals be moved a foot or two do to that it is 94' wide

[Political Incorrectness]

also if BC Ferries used this desing maybe at the stern make it an open deck space have it the length of the passenger walkway connection except make it an open deck and make it wider to cover the second cardeck

[hergfest]

I think BC Ferries is going to stick with double enders. All recently built ferries, sans the Spirits, have been double enders. It makes the terminal turnaround much faster.

[cascade]

Dan,

The "Pride of Kent" P&O. Sorry to deflate you but this vessel is a piece of junk. It has numerous engine room fires - due to the type of engine she has. Leaks all over her engine room.

She goes in Bow first to load and unloads stern first. She is pretty quick to turn around. Problem will be on the way that BCFS loads and unloads via there terminal designs - ramps ect... no European Vessel would be able to do that without major changes.

Getting to the best bit's. It would be a lot less to build than anything that BCFS has done in the past. If you look at her cost new and see what you got in BC for that price. Well maybe a new vessel for the Mill Bay run - based on the cost per meter that BC ship yards build at.

[Political Incorrectness]

cascade those are vessels from the 90's and they were originaly designed as freighters did they replace the engines during there major refits?

[cascade]

No they did not replace the engines, just very bad maint'ce on them.

You are correct they changed over two - to be RO/PAX - one worked the Northern route and one was on the long haul to Spain.

Do you know anything about the "Short Sea Shipping" concept? as that is what they tried with these.

[Political Incorrectness]

I thought they have been serving the Dover-Calais route all along after they went into refit? They will need new engines at some point and better maintaning of the engines and the Short sea shipping I don't know about.

[Quinsam]

Dover-Calais route is now being used by these ferries:

It used to be these:

[Political Incorrectness]

not all the time that is just Hoverspeed there is still SeaFrance and P&O

[cascade]

What happens in general terms is that once a vessel reaches a certain age - like 10 to 15 years old - they are sold. There is so much competition for service - speed and price that a ferry operator can not hold back the years. They just don't do mid-life upgrades in Europe - as there is such a good second hand market. The newer vessel will save them £m's in fuel alone in the first year - so they start planing a newer version within 5 to 7 years of operating a route.

[Political Incorrectness]

well then I wonder how much the Pride of Cantebury will cost if sold she would need alot of work done so that she can carry more passengers so they might as well take out that one deck full of staterooms and put in seating and a coffee bar up there or a snack bar with coffee. but there would be alot of work required so it would be cheaper probably to just do a rebuild? or would it be cheaper to do all the modifications or get a new vessel of that type with newer stuff?

[cascade]

Dan,

I have checked with Brokers - you can have her on T/C for 12 months - wet lease if you want. Or they will sell it to you asking 3.2M Euros. I would make a deal at 2.5 to 2.75M Euros.

P&O are looking to get out of the ferry business. They are selling everything - but there Port business - which now makes about 80% of there profits. The Ferry business will be the next unit to be sold off.

[Political Incorrectness]

that isn't a bad price but would it be worth doing all the work necessary

[cascade]

In a straight answer no unless you owned a shipyard - or had access to very cheap labor.
Major cost would be changing the engines - which is not a easy task on the shape and size of these vessels. I would gather from your comments you have never been in a major ships engine room so have no real idea of what they look like or operate like? Am I wrong?

[Political Incorrectness]

you are right actually I AM A TEENAGER! I LIVE IN THE STATES! why would I even have seen major ships engine rooms my father is the only one who has done that on the Washington State Ferries

[cascade]

Dan - if your seriously interested and want to see inside an engine room on a Dry Bulk cargo vessel - like a Handymax - then I could arrange for a visit when one of our ships are in Vancouver.

These vessel are 53,000DWT - about the same size as a "big" ferry. These are low rev - med-speed engines - but will give you a general idea of the shape and size you are dealing with.

[Political Incorrectness]

no thanks I already get the idea of a European Ferry ships engine from the description

[Ian]

BC FERRIES does not need ships that big, our sailings on major routes are very frequent and when there are overloads they make extra sailings. something like that going through the gulf islands or horseshoe bay would be dangerous, so scrap this idea. and quinsam for the last time there are several different types of ferries between dover and calais.

[Political Incorrectness]

have you ever looked over costs Ian cause then sometimes you have to pay overtime which means for losses in revenue

[Political Incorrectness]

royalcaribbean said:

BC FERRIES does not need ships that big, our sailings on major routes are very frequent and when there are overloads they make extra sailings. something like that going through the gulf islands or horseshoe bay would be dangerous, so scrap this idea. and quinsam for the last time there are several different types of ferries between dover and calais.

and by the way it is as dangerous doing the regular operations anyways if the S class are 93' wide then they are as dangerous as riding an s class through there plus they got pod thrusters

[Doug]

cascade said:

P&O. Sorry to deflate you but this vessel is a piece of junk.

He's probably right.

[Balfour]

I don't think Mr. Hahn wants a piece of junk new to his fleet.

[Political Incorrectness]

I MEAN USE THE DESIGN OF THE EXTERIOR! not the actuall ferry but the design of it "updated" new engines, interior,all that to meet BCFerries wants and needs cause the capacity of those ferries will help alot!