BC Ferries Sells Queen Of Victoria

The Queen of Victoria has been sold to a private operator in the Dominican Republic, BC Ferries' president and CEO Bob Lingwood announced. A total of six bids were received for the 38-year-old ferry and evaluated during the public bid process. "We've accepted an offer of $550,000 Canadian for the Queen of Victoria, which has become surplus to our needs," said Lingwood. R & G Importadora & Exportadora, the new owner, is expected to take possession of the vessel by the end of the year.

The Queen of Victoria was built at the Victoria Machinery Depot in 1962 and provided ferry service on BC Ferries' Tsawwassen - Swartz Bay route until 1998. Since then, the vessel has been used for storage at the corporation's Deas Dock refit complex in Richmond. The Queen of Victoria's sister ships - the Vancouver, Esquimalt and Saanich - continue to provide service on BC Ferries' major routes. The last surplus vessel to be sold, the Vesuvius Queen, was also sold to the same company in 1998. The former BC Ferries vessel takes tourists on whale-watching tours in the Dominican Republic.

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