8 daily ferry sailings cancelled on Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route for next week
Coastal Celebration ferry pulled for repairs — again
B.C. Ferries has pulled one of its largest vessels from service, leading to eight daily sailing cancellations on the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay route for the next week.
The Coastal Celebration carries up to 310 cars, and 1,604 passengers and crew, between Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria.
B.C. Ferries said the vessel — which was built in 2008 — has a hydraulic oil leak because of a broken or otherwise ineffective seal.
It needs to go to dry dock for repairs, which will begin on Monday, July 24, and are expected to last for several days.
In the meantime, all its sailings have been cancelled.
B.C. Ferries said its customer service agents will contact everyone who had a reservation the cancelled sailings. Travellers will be rescheduled on a different sailing of there is space available, or will have their money refunded.
The corporation is encouraging people who don't have reservations to travel as foot passengers if possible, since there will be significantly less room for vehicles with all the cancellations.
Just the latest cancellation for the ship
The Coastal Celebration has been in and out of service so far this summer.
Its annual maintenance in June took longer than expected, leading to cancellations of the Canada Day long weekend.
There have been several cancellations this week as well, as mechanical difficulties related to the oil leak were first detected.
B.C. Ferries said there is a "strong possibility" the leak is connected to the annual refit at the start of summer.
It says there will be a containment boom around the ship until it goes to dry dock, and spill response teams are monitoring.