BC Ferries Coastal Renaissance hits the water again after months of repairs

BC Ferries’ beleaguered Coastal Renaissance is back on the water Monday morning after being docked for repairs since last summer.

The major vessel was pulled out of service for repairs back in August of last year due to an engine problem.

The ship was taken out of service in August after it was docked due to an engine problem. It was originally expected to be out for only a couple of days, but its return faced multiple setbacks. After some work, the company said the vessel was supposed to be back on the water in time for the holidays, but technicians found another problem just as they were doing final safety inspections.

In December, BC Ferries confirmed repairs were on track to be completed in March. A month later, it released sailing schedules through to June, saying there would be no change to the number of passengers or vehicles that it could transport.

While the Coastal Renaissance has been out of service, other vessels, such as the Queen of Coquitlam and the Coastal Inspiration, had been used to cover the route at various times.

The ferry’s first sailing was 7:00 a.m. on the busy Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route Monday morning.