MV Queen of New Westminster
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | MV Queen of New Westminster |
| Namesake: | City of New Westminster |
| Operator: | BC Ferries |
| Port of registry: | Victoria |
| Route: | Tsawwassen ↔ Swartz Bay |
| Builder: | Victoria Machinery Depot |
| Cost: | $ 3.5 million |
| Yard number: | 105 |
| Laid down: | May 24, 1963 |
| Christened: | May 12, 1964 |
| In service: | August 4, 1964 |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 6,122 tonnes |
| Length: | 130 m (426 ft 6 in) |
| Installed power: | 16,800hp |
| Propulsion: | Four Wärtsilä VASA 9R32 engines |
| Speed: | 20 knots (37 km/h) |
| Capacity: |
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The MV Queen of New Westminster is a Canadian roll-on, roll-off passenger ferry operated by BC Ferries.[1]
In 1964 the vessel was built as one of seven Victoria class ferries, and retains most of the characteristics of that class. After the ship damaged a crankshaft beyond repair it was re-engined with four Wärtsilä engines, and is not considered a Victoria class ferry because of its improved powerplants. Its only remaining sister ships are Burnaby Class ferries Queen of Nanaimo and Queen of Burnaby, which are also no longer considered Victoria class vessels because they don't have the additional car deck which was added to the Victoria class ferries.
Though her Victoria class sister ships were all scrapped by 2012, she had a major refit of her passenger areas between late 2007 and early 2009, to prepare her for another ten to fifteen years of service.
Accidents
In October, 1971, the Queen of New Westminster pulled out of her berth at the Departure Bay terminal while vehicle loading was in progress. A car and its two occupants fell into the water. Both of the vehicle's occupants were rescued.
In a similar incident, on August 13, 1992 the same vessel pulled out of her berth at the Departure Bay terminal while vehicle loading ramps were still lowered and resting on the ship. Three people were killed, one was seriously injured, and two others received minor injuries when a van from Alberta containing 6 people fell 15 m (about 50 ft) from the upper deck onto the lower car deck and finally into the sea below. The van was stopped and instructed to wait on the loading ramp by terminal crew members. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada determined that this accident was caused by the vessel not properly following departing procedures and secondarily due to poor communication between terminal and ship crew members.[2]
Sister Ships
The Queen of New Westminster had six sister ships of which only two are still in service with BC Ferries. These ships were originally built as a single class, but were modified with different combinations of deck stretching, adding additional vehicle decks, and installing more powerful engines. Though the New West is a sister of these ships, she doesn't fit into V class or Burnaby class ferries.
- Victoria Class ferries (All scrapped)
- Burnaby Class Ferries (In service)
