The vessel that will serve as the newest passenger ferry running between Victoria and Vancouver is undergoing an extensive refit at Point Hope Maritime’s yard in Victoria.
The ship that will be christened the V2V Empress was most recently a dining and entertainment boat on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.
A significant amount of work will need to be carried out during the refit process to bring the vessel up to the standard required for the new high-speed passenger service.
Between 15 to 20 Point Hope Maritime workers will be stripping back the entire ship before building her back up as a 270-passenger vessel.
The name was chosen to pay homage to the region’s rich maritime history with the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company RMS Empress line ships that originally operated between Hong Kong and British Columbia.
The V2V Empress will offer passenger service between Victoria and Vancouver harbours beginning in spring 2017.
