Greenline Ferries says it has secured a dock in the Vancouver harbour for operations. The battery-operated ferry will be zero emissions and could be operating as early as 2027.
A new zero emissions passenger ferry that would connect downtown Vancouver with Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast is one step closer to setting sail after officials suggested a city-owned park for docking.
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The announcement was also made by Vancouver city councillor Rebecca Bligh and park board commissioners Brennan Bastyovanszky and Laura Christensen at a news conference at Harbour Green Park on Friday morning. They will need to introduce motions to council, but if successful it could be operating by 2027.
Also in attendance were: Mayor of Gibsons Silas White; Andrew Leonard, mayor of Bowen Island; MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Patrick Weiler; and Jeremy Valeriote, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky.
The park, which is located at Coal Harbour, would remain unchanged, Greenline said, adding the dock would stay open to the public. A charging facility for the battery-operated boats, similar to an electric vehicle charging port, would be installed on a new dock segment at the company’s expense.
A pollution-free passenger ferry will “drastically improve transportation options for local residents and visitors alike,” the officials said in a joint statement.
“It promises to boost economic growth and reduce waiting times in Horseshoe Bay, Snug Cove and Langdale, making it easier to explore B.C.’s beautiful southern coast.”
B.C. Hydro and Greenline have been working together since September on a new charging solution for marine vessels, according to Greenline.
The ferry service would arrive seven times per day, with four journeys from Gibsons and three from Bowen Island, according to Greenline.
Each Greenline boat would off-load about the same number of passengers as a city bus, and most of these passengers would walk on paved pathways toward the downtown and transit.
Runs from Vancouver to Bowen would take approximately 45 minutes, and 75 minutes to Gibsons. The battery-powered vessels would hold around 150 passengers. No word yet on what that the trip would cost.
A similar private passenger ferry runs from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo. That ferry service, operated by Hullo, runs 14 trips a day most days, each crossing taking about 70 to 75 minutes. One way usually costs $39.99 or $75 round trip. There are discounted costs for youth and seniors and infants under two are free.
Greenline says it has also been engaging with the local First Nations throughout the planning and is committed to understanding their interests and mitigating their concerns.
“As soon as this falls into place, we’ll be positioned to place an order for our custom electric vessels to be built, with service expected to start in 2027.”
Callum Campbell, chief executive officer of Greenline Ferries, said in a news release that his company was excited to explore this important transportation service.
“This transformative all-electric ferry service for Bowen Island and Gibsons will take cars off the road and provide a clean, efficient and convenient service into downtown Vancouver,” he said.
More to come …