'Charge barges' to power new B.C. battery ferries, doubling as passenger docks | Daily Hive

Concept of Greenline Ferries' charge barge dock at Gibson Landing. (Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects/3GA Marine/Greenline Ferries)

Greenline Ferries, a new company with ambitious plans to launch a new passenger-only ferry service linking downtown Vancouver with Bowen Island and the Sunshine Coast, has unveiled its strategy for keeping its fleet of battery-powered ferries charged.

The planned service is endorsed by the municipal governments of Bowen Island, Gibsons, and Vancouver, with Greenline Ferries aiming to launch operations as early as spring 2027.

The fleet will consist of next-generation, 32-metre-long, battery-powered catamaran vessels, each accommodating up to 150 seated passengers on a single passenger deck and up to 20 bicycles on an outdoor deck.

Two routes are planned from Harbour Green Dock at Coal Harbour in downtown Vancouver: one to Seymour Bay on Bowen Island, and the other to Gibsons Harbour Landing on the Sunshine Coast. The Vancouver–Bowen Island route would take approximately 40 minutes each way, with three round trips per day, while the Vancouver–Gibsons route would take about 70 minutes each way, with four round trips per day.

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To avoid the very high construction costs of making major electrical upgrades at each of the three terminal locations, Greenline Ferries has designed a unique”charge barge” that doubles as a covered outdoor passenger dock for its service.

The engineering design of this self-floating charge barge dock was created by 3GA Marine, while the architectural design was by Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects. Greenline Ferries received $96,000 from BC Hydro toward the cost of designing this facility specifically for the terminal at Gibsons Landing, with this modular design serving as a model for the future design work for the charge barge docks in downtown Vancouver and Bowen Island.

Planned routes for Greenline Ferries linking downtown Vancouver with Bowen Island’s Seymour Bay and the Sunshine Coast’s Gibsons Harbour Landing. (Greenline Ferries)

For Gibsons Landing, the charge barge dock is designed to handle the mooring of one Greenline Ferries vessel and two smaller pleasure craft, which is a public benefit of the project by providing charging equipment for public users and other small commercial vessel operators. A gangway links the barge to the existing breakwater boardwalk.

“The charge barge project is a creative solution to add electric charging capacity to existing small craft harbours,” said Daniel McIntyre, Vice President of 3GA Marine.

“This type of project helps shape the future of Canada’s maritime sector and facilitates the electrification of ferries, tugs, fishboats and small commercial vessels.”

This steel barge specifically designed for Gibsons Landing measures 32 metres in length and 10.4 metres in width. It will have an input power capacity of 400 kW, an output vessel recharging power capacity of 1.8 MW, and a total battery capacity of up to 10 MWh.

greenline ferries charge barge dock gibsons

Concept of Greenline Ferries’ charge barge dock at Gibson Landing. (Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects/3GA Marine/Greenline Ferries)

On the deck of the barge, there will be two deckhouse blocks, with each providing space for two battery units — each at 5 MWh, and one containing the electrical house for the megawatt charging system, with additional space for storage. There will also be a small service kiosk for ticket sales or light refreshments, and a covered outdoor seating area for waiting passengers.

Such a design with enables minimum investment in the BC Hydro connections, with the batteries on the barge gradually recharging from the grid over time and rapidly recharging the vessels when connected. With the vessels recharging from the barge batteries, as opposed to recharging directly from the grid, this would eliminate the issue of imposing significant loads onto the grid.

Each vessel in Greenline Ferries’ fleet will have a battery storage capacity of 3,612 kWh. To put that in perspective, each vessel’s batteries are equivalent to the combined capacity of the batteries of 44 Tesla Model 3 cars (82 kWh each).

With such a barge charging method, the existing electrical grid in Gibsons Landing can support up to four roundtrip sailings per day.

Similarly, the PNE’s brand new ThunderVolt launch coaster also depends on a large bank of batteries, which slowly recharge from the BC Hydro grid to dispense the significant electricity required for the ride’s powerful electromagnetic launch system. This eliminated the need for costly electrical infrastructure upgrades and the risk of unintentionally backfeeding and overloading the grid.

Concept of Greenline Ferries’ charge barge dock at Gibson Landing. (Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects/3GA Marine/Greenline Ferries)

Concept design of the battery-electric vessel for Greenline Ferries. (BMT/Greenline Ferries)

The dual purpose of these barges, serving as both the vessel chargers and passenger waiting space, also addresses the issue of limited availability of dock space at Gibsons Landing.

“Electric vessels are gaining popularity. The charge barge is an important way that we can plan ahead, revitalizing small craft harbours with 21st century infrastructure and technology,” said Callum Campbell, founder and CEO of Greenline Ferries, a naval architect, and the former director of the B.C. interior’s Inland Ferries operated by the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Transit.

Silas White, the Mayor of Gibsons, added, “The charge barge project represents a critical and exciting opportunity for Gibsons to lead the way in marine electrification. This initiative aligns with our commitment to sustainability while enhancing the services we provide to commercial vessels that are crucial to our local economy.”

In terms of the architectural design of the barge, it has a simple and contemporary look, with both deckhouses covered with textured cladding, and railings and perforated metal screens giving a “strong, unified look.”

“Vancouver enjoys a beautiful but under utilized waterfront and this new service offers what we hope is the beginning of an exciting revisiting of the possibilities of maritime mobility in the city and region,” said Shane Oleksiuk, a principal of Boniface Oleksiuk Politano Architects.

“BOP is thrilled to support Greenline in helping shape how we could move and connect people sustainably and seamlessly from shore to shore.”

The existing dock at Harbour Green Park in downtown Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan)

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