Poland’s Remontowa Shipbuilding is continuing works on the fourth Salish-class LNG-powered vessel for Canada’s BC Ferries and still expects to launch the ship in mid-November.
The Canadian shipowner placed the order for the dual-fuel newbuild in December 2019 followed by the start of construction at Remontowa in February this year.
Despite the challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Polish yard says it has managed to proceed with the works according to schedule.
Within the next few weeks, the yard will continue working on joining three separate assembly blocks to form a complete hull.
This work will go in parallel with installing the vessels’ necessary systems and equipment prior to the scheduled launch, it said.
Once delivered next year, the newbuild, along its sister vessels, will become the largest LNG-powered ferry in North America, the yard claims.
Remontowa has previously delivered three similar ferries to BC Ferries, namely the Salish Orca, Salish Raven, and Salish Eagle.
The new 107-metre Salish Class vessel will have the capacity to carry at least 138 vehicles and up to 600 passengers and crew.
It will replace BC Ferries’ diesel-powered Mayne Queen on the Swartz Bay-Southern Gulf Islands line in the province of British Columbia.
The ship will feature three Wartsila engines and electrically-propelled Schottel thrusters.