In response to an inquiry from Coast Reporter, BC Ferries has confirmed it is travelling at lower speeds for some of its “quieter trips,” including Route 3 between Langdale and Horseshoe Bay terminals.
Though the corporation notes the change only adds minutes per trip.
“As demand for service on the Langdale route has grown, our crews are taking more time to safely load and unload vehicles and passengers,” BC Ferries wrote in an email to Coast Reporter. “To stay on schedule, the vessel has often had to travel at higher speeds, which, over time, can put additional strain on the machinery.”
BC Ferries added, to help reduce that strain and support the vessel’s long-term performance, it is adjusting their approach on “quieter trips.”
“On these lighter traffic sailings, customers may experience slightly slower accelerations and decelerations, which could add an additional one-to-two minutes to the transit time. We’ve seen positive results from similar adjustments on other routes, where a modest reduction in speed has helped improve schedule reliability and extend the lifespan of the vessel’s systems,” the email continued. “While fuel efficiency is a secondary benefit, over time, even small savings add up and contribute to our overall sustainability goals.”
BC Ferries added, it understands how important dependable ferry service is to the Sunshine Coast, and “we’re committed to making thoughtful, sustainable decisions that protect the service for the long term while continuing to meet the needs of the community today.”
Meanwhile, BC Ferries told Coast Reporter earlier this week, that “temporary service adjustments” means there will be no additional sailings over this Easter long weekend between Horseshoe Bay to Langdale or Departure Bay.
The email explained that last year for the Easter long weekend, BC Ferries offered 12 more sailings between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay in Nanaimo and eight more sailings between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale than this upcoming long weekend.
“This is the result of changes to our refit schedule,” the email continued. “The Queen of Surrey is currently undergoing her annual refit, which was delayed due to recent unplanned but necessary repairs to the Queen of New Westminster and the Queen of Oak Bay. As a result, the Queen of Coquitlam (which normally provides these extra sailings) is now providing relief service for the Queen of Surrey.”
