Metro Vancouver & Interregional Passenger Ferry Service Discussion

[madog222]

Vancouver to Nanaimo passenger ferry to start next summer, another shot at this in a long line of failed attempts. This time by a partnership between the Snuneymuxw First Nation and a Toronto based private equity firm, Conqora.

Their website, as it is, is live. https://www.vifc.com/

Nanaimo to downtown Vancouver ferry service plans summer, 2023 launch

The Vancouver Island Ferry Company has yet to announce rates or schedules, but says it plans to be up and running by summer 2023.

In a media release Tuesday, the company said sailings between the Nanaimo Port Authority Terminal and the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre at the Vancouver Convention Centre would take about 70 minutes.

The company plans to serve the route using a pair of high-speed catamarans built by Dutch shipbuilder the Damen Group.

Each vessel can handle about 350 passengers. The company says there will be several classes, and people will be able to reserve their seats.

From Global BC https://globalnews.ca/news/9269463/nanaimo-ferry-direct-foot-passenger/


In the meantime they are being sued by a former proponent for the ferry run.

A company that previously had agreements for fast ferry service from Nanaimo to Vancouver has initiated a lawsuit against the Nanaimo Port Authority and another fast ferry proponent.

Island Ferry Services filed a notice of civil claim Aug. 16 in the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver against the Port of Nanaimo and Conqora Partners Inc.

The plaintiffs – Island Ferry Services Ltd., Island Ferry Management Ltd. and Island Maritime Holdings Ltd. – have been pursuing fast-ferry service from the Harbour City to the mainland for 15 years, the claim states, and Island Ferries has spent $18 million in the effort, “including the creation of confidential and proprietary information necessary for the operation of the business, such as as business plans, financial models, ridership projections, operational plans, vessel certification, environmental reports and agreements with third parties.” The information was shared with the defendants, the claim noted.

The plaintiffs say they raised $11.6 million from investors, reached a “recognition, co-operation and benefits agreement” with Snuneymuxw in August 2020, “executed shipbuilding contracts with Damen Shipyards” for ferries, and received certification from Transport Canada to operate the ferries.

The notice claims that in the summer of 2019, Island Ferry Services was introduced to Forum Equity Partners as a potential investor and a mutal non-disclosure agreement was signed. In September 2019, Island Ferry Services was introduced to Rupesh Amin, who was identified as a managing partner of Forum, but was later disclosed to have started Conqora. The foot ferry business plan and other information was therefore passed on to Amin and Conqora without Island Ferry Services’ consent, states the claim.

From Karl Yu https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com...-nanaimo-and-current-fast-ferry-partner/