The new Salish Raven ferry will start running between Tsawwassen and the Southern Gulf Islands two months early, ahead of the upcoming August long weekend.

That鈥檚 according to BC Ferries, who said the new vessel is being placed into service after mechanical issues pulled the 53-year-old Queen of Nanaimo out of service last week.

unveils wrap artwork to its Musqueam First Nations artist Thomas Cannell: ^lv

鈥� BC Ferries (@BCFerries)

鈥淓ngineers have been unable to determine the root cause of the problem with the Queen of Nanaimo as yet, so we are focusing our crew resources into getting the new ship, Salish Raven, into service sooner than we had originally planned,鈥� said Mark Wilson, BC Ferries鈥� vice president of engineering.

The Salish Raven will make its inaugural sailing Thursday afternoon from the Tsawwassen terminal.

It鈥檚 the third of three new ships added to the fleet in recent months, following the Salish Eagle which operates along the Long Harbour to Southern Gulf Islands route and the which entered service on the Comox to Powell River route in May.

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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