BC Ferries preparing for busy summer, World Cup travel surge

The company gave a preview of it is plans to prepare for summer crowds and World Cup tourists—while announcing there are no back-up vessels available.

BC Ferries is gearing up for one of its busiest summers ever—with the World Cup expected to add further pressure on an already stretched system.

“I’ll borrow a soccer analogy,” BC Ferries’ vice president of strategy and planning Brian Anderson said at a Wednesday news conference. “Our peak season is a bit like playing the full 90 minute match with no substitutes. All our ships will be in service every day, and in the event there’s an injury that puts us down a player—or a ship in this case—we can’t bring a replacement in from the bench.”

The company transported 10.3 million people and 4.1 million vehicles last peak season and expects to surpass those figures this summer.

In anticipation of the World Cup, it’s moving its summer schedule two weeks early to June 11.

BC Ferries has also refitted 22 vessels, hired more than 630 seasonal staff and expanded reservation ability on a number of routes.

But the company’s aging fleet continues to pose challenges, and there have often been problems during peak periods.

The most recent high profile example was Easter weekend, in which the company cancelled a series of sailings due to high winds, mechanical issues and vessel shortages.

The disruptions that weekend even prompted an apology from BC Ferries’ chief executive Nicolas Jimenez.

Given the age of the fleet, periodic staffing problems and variable coastal weather, BC Ferries recommends anybody taking a trip to check the status of their sailing before leaving home.

And while reservations are always recommended during busy periods—this summer that may be especially true.