BC Ferries clean futures plan and the path to “net zero”

BCFerries removed the equivalent of nearly 3,000 cars from the road last year and did so without altering a single sailing or the customer experience. The key to the company’s success is in the 2022 BC Ferries Clean Futures Plan.

Ninety-eight per cent of BC Ferries’ greenhouse gas emissions comes from the combustion of fuels by vessels. To reduce that footprint the company needs to move customers in a more environmentally positive manner.

Tugboat Spring 2023

“Normally we run our fleet on ultralow sulphur diesel that contains at least five per cent biodiesel (B5),” says Frank Camaraire, Director, Climate Change Policy for BC Ferries. “But we wanted to advance our goal to meet emissions targets and embrace our environmental responsibility.”

The most high-profile examples in the evolution of ferry travel are the battery-electric Island Class ferries, along with the LNG Spirit, and Salish Class ships. Less visible are the Queen of Oak Bay and Queen of Surrey. The 42-year old Queen of Oak Bay has a secret ingredient making it more environmentally friendly – 20 per cent biodiesel (B20).

Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils or animal fats and can be used in existing diesel engines. When the time came for BC Ferries to renew its fuel agreement with Parkland Corporation, the company offered the innovative, new fuel mixture.

“We started the transition in October 2021,” says Babak Motamedi, Captain of the Queen of Oak Bay.

“I’m pleased to report that during this time my colleagues and I have not seen any difference in operation of the machineries and propulsion system with regards to ship’s speed and maneuvering characteristics.”

While the B20 conversion was taking place on the Queen of Oak Bay, the Queen of Surrey was undergoing a similar trial using renewable diesel. It comes from a similar feedstock as biodiesel but undergoes a different process.

The two trials have eliminated 13,200 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from October 2021 through June 2022, with far more ambitious goals on the horizon.

“We are preparing to transition many of our Metro Vancouver-based vessels that currently use ultra-low sulphur diesel with B5 to ultra-low sulphur diesel with B20 over the next year while exploring opportunities to increase the biodiesel content all the way up to 100 per cent (or B100),” says Camaraire.

The 2030 target for BC Ferries is to reduce the company’s 2008 greenhouse gas emissions by at least 27 per cent while addressing the demands of a growing population calling for increased service.

”There is no lack of ambition to meet our goal; it’s about how we get there,” says Camaraire. “By applying innovation and technical solutions we are creating the momentum that sails us to a net zero horizon.” com/in-the-community/environmentalsustainability. Ü

For more info on BC Ferries Clean Futures Plan visit: https://www.bcferries.

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