Denman Island cable ferry ready to start service

It took two years longer than expected, but BC Ferries says acontroversial newcable ferry from Vancouver Islandto Denman Islandhas passed all testing and is ready to gointo service in February.

TheBaynesSound Connector isthe first cable ferry inthefleet, but BC Ferriesis confident itwill be just as reliable as theoutgoing vessel, theQuinitsa, said Captain Jamie Marshall, vice-president of fleet operations.

"It's new technology to the West Coast.It's new technology to BC Ferries and so with that comes doubts and skepticism," he said.

"As we put the vessel into operation wewill prove that thevessel is going to operate successfully."

• Denman Island cable ferry to start service in 2016
• Denman Island to get new cable ferry by 2014

Some residents of Denmanand Hornby Islands have expressed concernover whether a cable ferry will be able tohandle ocean conditions andWest Coast weather.

New rules for other boats

They are also worried about the impact onother marine traffic in the area.

No other boats are allowed to cross over the underwater cables during the entire 10 minutes it takes for the ferry to cross betweenBuckley Bay to Denman Island.

Red signal lights have been installed at the cable ferry docks to indicate when other boats must stop.

"So when this thing is running in the summertime, shuttling back and forth, the channel is basically closed to traffic for a very big percentage of the day," said Peter Kimmerly, a retired sea captain who was the senior master of the nearby Hornby Island ferry for 12 years.

Kimmerly also wonders whether all boaters will be aware of what the new signal lights mean.

Education sessions are also being held for local boaters, BC Ferries said.

BC Ferries expects to save $1.75 million per year through reducedcrew, maintenance and fuel costs on the 50-car ferry, noting thatadds up to $70 million over the 40-year lifespan of the vessel.

It also said environmental benefits include lower emissions, reduced wake and zero discharge into the marine environment.

"I think the thing just has to earn its riteof passage and if it does work well, then people will be relieved," saidFrank Frketich,chair of the Ferry Advisory Committee for the area.

The outgoingQuinitsawill become a relief vessel for the BC Ferries fleet.