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April 2006
July 2006more in the gallery.
Pam
[ 08-02-2006: Message edited by: PamM ]
quote:Originally posted by gpcruisedude:oops sorry, the Sonia doesnt have a side door, however BC Ferries would have to take off those ugly back doors and modify her bow for their docks. And install new back doors. Does anyone know if her visor lifts up to unload vehicles??
From what i'm hearing from my "inside scource" the bow will remain as is, as will the main structure of the ship. The docks that cannot accomadate the width of the Sonia will be undergoing upgrades ASAP.
Several of the BC Ferry ships are of similar configuration to the Sonia (single ended) and are required to reverse into dock on at least one end of the voyage. (All the newest Spirit class vessels, and some of the older S class, queen of New West Minister, Queen of Esquimalt, Queen of Nanaimo, etc..)
The new ships 'Coastal x y z' appear to be double ended.
.Vessel Sonia to serve northern routes
DAILY COLLECTION OF MARITIME PRESS CLIPPINGS 2006 - 160
PSi-Daily Shipping News Page 15 8/29/2006
The Sonia, which sailed between Trinidad and Tobago until this spring, isbeing eyed by B.C. Ferries as a replacement vessel for the sunken Queen ofthe North. The long-rumoured replacement vessel for B.C. Ferries' northernroutes has been bought, The Province has learned.
The Sonia -- a two-year-old ferry that has been sailing between Trinidad andTobago and more recently in Spain -- will cost an estimated $91 million tobuy and modify for B.C.'s purposes, a source said yesterday. Another ferryto serve the north coast has been needed since the Queen of the North sankin March after hitting Gil Island while travelling from Prince Rupert toPort Hardy. The 117-metre-long Sonia, which can carry 1,200 passengers andcrew, as well as 220 vehicles, will replace the aging Queen of PrinceRupert.
The Prince Rupert is to be retired when a new, $133-million ferry fromGerman firm Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellsch aft is put into service as theQueen of the
North's permanent replacement in the spring of 2009. B.C. Ferries'spokeswoman Deborah Marshall would not confirm the Sonia purchase yesterday,saying paperwork remains to be completed. "We will make an announcement wheneverything is official," said Marshall.
The Province, however, obtained a schedule showing B.C. Ferries has booked aspot for a vessel identified as "Sonia" at the Esquimalt Graving Dock, whereferry retrofits and modifications are carried out. The schedule indicateswork at Esquimalt dock will take place from mid-January to the end ofFebruary 2007. B.C. Ferries is believed to have had as many as 20 managersand senior engineers aboard Sonia, watching as she operates, and makingnotes as to what has to be done to prepare the ship to sail in B.C. waters.
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