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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 21, 2012 17:24:45 GMT -8
The Seaspan Doris has been sitting at Seaspan's layup area in North Vancouver for about 6-8 months. Any idea what the story is? You've got me curious. I checked the Seaspan Ferries webpage, and DORIS is not on their schedule, but she is still listed as being part of their fleet. I did a search on her name on the Seaspan website, and no news of her refit or layup. Lastly, I haven't noticed any news on her mentioned in recent issues of Western Mariner magazine. |
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Post by Mike C on Oct 21, 2012 17:41:31 GMT -8
The Seaspan Doris has been sitting at Seaspan's layup area in North Vancouver for about 6-8 months. Any idea what the story is? You've got me curious. I checked the Seaspan Ferries webpage, and DORIS is not on their schedule, but she is still listed as being part of their fleet. I did a search on her name on the Seaspan website, and no news of her refit or layup. Lastly, I haven't noticed any news on her mentioned in recent issues of Western Mariner magazine. Thanks for looking into it. I am on my phone so I wasn't able to do any extensive research on my end - I just saw her from the SeaBus terminal, so I posted on the boat. Now I'm on the train home. Ah technology. It is suspicious as she is obviously not in their refit facility, yet no replacement for her has been announced / heard of. Has their traffic declined that much? |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Oct 21, 2012 17:46:51 GMT -8
It is suspicious as she is obviously not in their refit facility, yet no replacement for her has been announced / heard of. Has their traffic declined that much? In the overall supply & demand equation, their supply has increased because of the purchase & lease-assumption of the 3 units from Van Isle Barge. So it's likely that they are loading all their boats fuller now (sorry about that, Karl) and getting better efficiencies that way. And so 1 ship sits idle. - just a theory. |
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Post by Mike C on Oct 21, 2012 17:54:28 GMT -8
It is suspicious as she is obviously not in their refit facility, yet no replacement for her has been announced / heard of. Has their traffic declined that much? In the overall supply & demand equation, their supply has increased because of the purchase & lease-assumption of the 3 units from Van Isle Barge. So it's likely that they are loading all their boats fuller now (sorry about that, Karl) and getting better efficiencies that way. And so 1 ship sits idle. - just a theory. Sticking with economics, I was also curious about things cutting into their demand - notably BC Ferries' drop trailer service and the fact that they have been on every sailing, not utilizing the "extra space" we were assured time and time again when the service started. |
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Post by lmtengs on Oct 26, 2012 21:54:20 GMT -8
  Princess Superior at Swartz Bay, yesterday. I forgot to switch my settings for the first one; I'd been in full manual and not changed my shutter from the previous shot. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Nov 25, 2012 17:47:12 GMT -8
Seaspan's berth at Swartz Bay, with Princess Superior. - November 10, 2012. Seen from the BCF short-term parking area - Seaspan is the berth on the right side   |
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Post by Chris City on Jan 11, 2013 9:50:17 GMT -8
I was just wondering if there has been any updates on the Seaspan Doris? I think I read that it was moored at North Van, is that still true? Is it basically retired from active duty?
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Post by Mike C on Jan 11, 2013 11:44:05 GMT -8
I was just wondering if there has been any updates on the Seaspan Doris? I think I read that it was moored at North Van, is that still true? Is it basically retired from active duty? The Doris is still currently moored in North Vancouver, I am estimating about <1 km west of Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal. There have been no movements by this vessel within the past year or so, and is tied alongside other Seaspan vessels. I am assuming that this vessel has been retired from active service. |
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Post by Chris City on Jan 11, 2013 11:59:35 GMT -8
The Doris is still currently moored in North Vancouver, I am estimating about <1 km west of Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal. There have been no movements by this vessel within the past year or so, and is tied alongside other Seaspan vessels. I am assuming that this vessel has been retired from active service. Great, thanks for the update! Too bad it's finished, always thought it was a unique ship for the west coast. |
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Jan 11, 2013 12:58:11 GMT -8
I was just wondering if there has been any updates on the Seaspan Doris? I think I read that it was moored at North Van, is that still true? Is it basically retired from active duty? The Doris is still currently moored in North Vancouver, I am estimating about <1 km west of Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal. There have been no movements by this vessel within the past year or so, and is tied alongside other Seaspan vessels. I am assuming that this vessel has been retired from active service. The Seaspan Doris is still listed as one of their four self-propelled ferries, so she may just be laid up because of the loss in business Seaspan has experienced with BC Ferries getting into the drop trailer market. |
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Post by Chris City on Jan 11, 2013 13:42:30 GMT -8
The Seaspan Doris is still listed as one of their four self-propelled ferries, so she may just be laid up because of the loss in business Seaspan has experienced with BC Ferries getting into the drop trailer market. That's good to know, thanks! Hopefully it can make a return to service at some point. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2013 17:04:24 GMT -8
Maybe the Seaspan Doris is getting a Mid-Life upgrade or a refit.
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Jan 11, 2013 22:27:25 GMT -8
Maybe the Seaspan Doris is getting a Mid-Life upgrade or a refit. Yes, the 'Truckstop Diner' cafeteria that all Seaspan vessels have is being remodelled, including installing castoff BC Ferries 'dogwood' carpeting, teak railings are being added (stripped from the Queen of Sidney), as are showers for truckers, like on the 'Alberni.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2013 18:30:49 GMT -8
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Post by Chris City on Jan 19, 2013 11:52:28 GMT -8
Found out that the Seaspan Doris has been retired.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 19, 2013 12:05:48 GMT -8
Found out that the Seaspan Doris has been retired. I sent an email inquiry to Seaspan Ferries today. I'll see if they reply, and if they give me some detail. - I'll share it here when I get it. |
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Post by Chris City on Jan 19, 2013 13:58:18 GMT -8
I sent an email inquiry to Seaspan Ferries today. I'll see if they reply, and if they give me some detail. - I'll share it here when I get it. Thanks, I would be interested to know what will become of the Doris, hoping that it won't be scrapped. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 19, 2013 21:30:28 GMT -8
re Seaspan Doris (Yorke):
The message that I got from Seaspan is that she is currently laid-up. She is not currently needed by them and it doesn't make sense to keep her maintained (in a regulatory way) when she's both idle and also near the end of her service life.
We will hopefully see the start of the next generation of Seaspan Ferries vessels sometime maybe 3 years from now. So stay tuned.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2013 21:35:29 GMT -8
re Seaspan Doris (Yorke): The message that I got from Seaspan is that she is currently laid-up. She is not currently needed by them and it doesn't make sense to keep her maintained (in a regulatory way) when she's both idle and also near the end of her service life. We will hopefully see the start of the next generation of Seaspan Ferries vessels sometime maybe 3 years from now. So stay tuned. Hopefully we see the next generation of Seaspan ferries build in British Columbia. Is she going to be retired in three years or any time in the near future? |
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Neil
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Post by Neil on Jan 19, 2013 22:00:38 GMT -8
re Seaspan Doris (Yorke): The message that I got from Seaspan is that she is currently laid-up. She is not currently needed by them and it doesn't make sense to keep her maintained (in a regulatory way) when she's both idle and also near the end of her service life. We will hopefully see the start of the next generation of Seaspan Ferries vessels sometime maybe 3 years from now. So stay tuned. I wonder. It's probably a good bet that the ' Doris would be in service still if BC Ferries hadn't gotten into the drop trailer business. Seaspan has cut back their sailings, and I wonder if they're pondering their future in the freight ferry business. With Van Isle Barge gone, I'm sure commercial users are hoping that BC Ferries is not left with a monopoly in commercial traffic in the near future. |
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Post by Chris City on Jan 19, 2013 22:35:42 GMT -8
re Seaspan Doris (Yorke): The message that I got from Seaspan is that she is currently laid-up. She is not currently needed by them and it doesn't make sense to keep her maintained (in a regulatory way) when she's both idle and also near the end of her service life. We will hopefully see the start of the next generation of Seaspan Ferries vessels sometime maybe 3 years from now. So stay tuned. Thanks for sharing their response. Do you think we'll ever see new freight ferries or will they go with more pusher-tug and barge set-ups? I'd have to think the ferries aren't as economical anymore. |
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jan 19, 2013 22:55:29 GMT -8
Do you think we'll ever see new freight ferries or will they go with more pusher-tug and barge set-ups? I'd have to think the ferries aren't as economical anymore. I was thinking the same thing. I think that the setup such as Coastal Spirit / Seaspan Challenger is what we will be seeing more of. The tractor/trailer rig of the ocean. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2013 23:17:55 GMT -8
Do you think we'll ever see new freight ferries or will they go with more pusher-tug and barge set-ups? I'd have to think the ferries aren't as economical anymore. I was thinking the same thing. I think that the setup such as Coastal Spirit / Seaspan Challenger is what we will be seeing more of. The tractor/trailer rig of the ocean. Yeah I could see them doing that to save money and fuel. |
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Post by Chris City on Jan 19, 2013 23:54:43 GMT -8
On December 27 I drove up to Nanaimo to watch the Carrier Princess being unloaded of the railcars it brought over from Annacis Island for the E&N. What I didn't know at the time was that the 17 railcars it brought over would be the last railcars it would ever haul. The Carrier Princess is now at a shipyard in North Vancouver having it's rails removed from the deck. It goes without saying that I was very happy that I made the trip to Nanaimo that day! Carrier Princess coming into the harbour:    After the railcars where unloaded the Carrier Princess would make the trip back to the mainland with a load of trailers:  |
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Post by paulvanb on Jan 21, 2013 21:22:22 GMT -8
Very interesting! What other ships are out there that can carry reailcars I wonder? And/or does that spell the end of the E&N?
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