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Coastal Celebration arriving at Departure Bay on June 18, 2008.
History
Canada
Name	Coastal Celebration
Operator	BC Ferries
Port of registry	Victoria, British Columbia
Route	Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen
Awarded	September 17, 2004
Builder	Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft
Yard number	735
Laid down	September 3, 2007
Launched	December 14, 2007
Completed	May 9, 2008
In service	November 21, 2008
Homeport	Swartz Bay
Identification	IMO number: 9332779 Official number: 832800 Callsign: CFN5145
Status	In active service
General characteristics
Class and type	Coastal-class ferry
Tonnage	21,777 GT 2,350 DWT
Displacement	10,034 t (9,876 long tons; 11,061 short tons) (max)
Length	160 m (524 ft 11 in) oa. 154 m (505 ft 3 in) pp.
Beam	28.2 m (92 ft 6 in)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric system, 2 × shafts 21,444 hp (15,991 kW)
Speed	23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph)
Capacity	1,604 passengers and crew 370 vehicles

MV Coastal Celebration is the third and final Coastal-class ship to be delivered to BC Ferries. The class comprises some of the largest double-ended ferries in the world. The vessel completed construction in 2008 and entered service the same year. Unlike her sister ships, Coastal Renaissance and Coastal Inspiration, Coastal Celebration was equipped with a Pacific Buffet for service on the Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen route, until it was discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then closed permanently in June 2023.

Description

Coastal Celebration is a Coastal-class ferry in the BC Ferries fleet. They are among the largest double-ended ferries in the world. It has a gross tonnage (GT) of 21,777 tons, a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 2,350 tons and a maximum displacement of 10,034 tonnes (9,876 long tons; 11,061 short tons) (max). The vessel is 160 metres (524 ft 11 in) long overall and 154 metres (505 ft 3 in) between perpendiculars with a beam of 28.2 metres (92 ft 6 in). Coastal Celebration has a diesel-electric propulsion system driving two shafts rated at 21,444 horsepower (15,991 kW) and a maximum speed of 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph).

The vessel has a capacity of 1,604 crew and passengers and 310 vehicles. Coastal Celebration's amenities include a Pacific Buffet, a Coastal Cafe, a Coast Cafe Express, a Seawest Lounge, a Passages Gift Shop, a Kids Zone, a Video Zone, a pet area, work/study stations, elevators, and accessible washrooms.

Service history

The third and final vessel in its class, Coastal Celebration's keel was laid down on September 3, 2007 by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft of Flensburg, Germany with the yard number 735. The vessel was launched on December 14, 2007 and completed construction on May 9, 2008. Coastal Celebration was named as such by BC Ferries "to reflect the anticipated celebration that BC Ferries and its customers will have". The vessel left Flensburg on May 9, 2008, made a promotional stop in London, England on May 12, 2008, transited the Panama Canal on June 1 and arrived in British Columbia on June 18. Coastal Celebration was assigned the Swartz Bay-Tsawwassen ferry route servicing Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.

On May 5, 2011, Coastal Celebration damaged the dock at Swartz Bay after the vessel reversed into it for roughly 6.1 to 10.7 metres (20 to 35 ft). An investigation found that this was due to an error on the bridge. No one was hurt in the incident. However, damage to Coastal Celebration and the berth at Swartz Bay cost CAN$470,000. On November 4, 2015, while the ship was sailing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, a man launched one of Coastal Celebration's 100-person life rafts and jumped overboard. The man then swam to Galiano Island while the ferry recovered the life raft and launched rescue craft to recover the man. The man was later arrested on the island. On December 17, 2018, Coastal Celebration rescued a man from a sinking vessel near Moresby Passage in stormy conditions. All remaining sailings from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay were cancelled that night.

Notes

1. The Miramar Ship Index has the maximum speed at 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph).

References

1. Chan, Adam (June 7, 2023). "End of an era: BC Ferries closes Pacific Buffet". CBC News. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
2. "New Ships Have Arrived, and More on the Way!". BC Ferries. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
3. ^ "Coastal Celebration (9332779)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
4. ^ "Our Fleet: Coastal Celebration". BC Ferries. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
5. "BC Ferries Announces Names for Three New Super C Vessels" (PDF) (Press release). BC Ferries. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
6. "Coastal Celebration Is Here!" (Press release). BC Ferries. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
7. Carman, Tara (1 June 2012). "Coastal Celebration mishap cost BC Ferries $470,000 to fix". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
8. Dickson, Louise (3 December 2016). "No charges for man who jumped off ferry, swam to Galiano, broke into house". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
9. Stanton, Kylie (19 December 2018). "BC Ferries crew rescues boater from '90 km/h winds, massive waves' near Moresby Island". Global News. Retrieved 20 May 2019.

• Coastal-class ferries
• Ships built in Flensburg
• 2007 ships