# B.C.'s controversial fast ferries sold to Abu Dhabi buyer



## JoK (Nov 12, 2006)

By Derrick Penner, Vancouver SunJuly 28, 2009 6:17 

SunVANCOUVER — The PacifiCat fast ferries, products of one of British Columbia’s most controversial mega projects, have been sold to an offshore buyer that plans to export them.


The Washington Marine Group, which bought the three aluminum catamaran-style ferries at auction for a song in March of 2003, said Tuesday that it has sold the three vessels to a firm called Abu Dhabi Mar, which plans to export them from Canada.


The ships, built between 1999 and 2000, were decommissioned and mothballed by the Liberal government in 2001. No terms of the deal with Abu Dhabi Mar were released Tuesday.


“Bound by privacy and confidentiality contracts and policies, no further comments will be made at this time by the Washington Marine Group of Companies,” the company said in a press release.


The Washington Marine Group acquired the fast ferries, built for BC Ferries at a cost of $454 million over the late 1990s, for $19.8 million.


The PacifiCats were commissioned by then NDP premier Glen Clark in a project designed to reinvigorate the B.C. shipbuilding industry.


However, construction of the complex vessels ran over budget and over schedule to the constant criticism of the then opposition Liberal party of Gordon Campbell.


Once in service, the PafiCats were plagued by operational problems from high fuel consumption to a large wake that washed dangerously against the shore as it docked forcing it to sail at speeds below optimum levels as it was approaching terminals.


Washington Marine Group CEO Steve Frasher once told The Sun that its plan in purchasing the vessels was to make a quick flip. Over the years ideas for re-inventing them included using them as high-speed barges, military transport vessels and as a temporary service to move people from Vancouver to Squamish during the 2010 Winter Olympics.


In 2005, Washington Marine Group explored the possibility of putting the PacifiCats back in service on their original run between Horseshoe Bay and Nanaimo.


Washington Marine Group, in a news release, said the ferries will be transported using heavy-lift, deep-sea vessels with the first due to depart Vancouver next month.


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## mrcanoehead (Sep 15, 2007)

you might say they bought them for scrap pirces & they are now on their way to who knows where.... Abu Dabi perhaps to see service in the gulf greion...... another canadian mystery of govt expenditures.... as they disapear into the fog of parlamentary indecision in Ottawa.......


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## mrcanoehead (Sep 15, 2007)

actually they might work better in the gulf region transporting passangers & light freight from Abu dabi, Jebel ali, Dubai, Mamana Bahrein, Bandar abbas Iran & elsdewhere in that region of the world. It just might work there without problems they had in BC.


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## Billieboy (May 18, 2009)

*Problems?*



mrcanoehead said:


> actually they might work better in the gulf region transporting passangers & light freight from Abu dabi, Jebel ali, Dubai, Mamana Bahrein, Bandar abbas Iran & elsdewhere in that region of the world. It just might work there without problems they had in BC.


Yes, the UAE is slightly less democratic than B.C. and there aren't any idiot union bosses to screw the sytam up.(A)


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## JoK (Nov 12, 2006)

Rest assured, Washington Group is rubbing their hands in glee. For a modest investment of 20 million, they have most likely reaped a huge profit
.
Politicos seem to think they know a whole lot about things they really know nothing about and we let them run our country.


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## mrcanoehead (Sep 15, 2007)

This on top of the statement from the CBC about ship building in Canada, wonder if a former PM & his Nefarious pasta partner are involved behind the scenes, we all know who they are!!! POT CALLING KETTLE BLACK!
Oh yes quite a deal, politicos in canada are known for acting like this, at least some. Others well ,they knew better and acted accordingly. They'd not act foolishly. 

On another note ,a deja vu look at another sad story in canada repeating itself, demise of martime industry in canada in the 1960's because of maritime labour & its bullies.


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