Following delivery from her previous Greek owners, Orveline Hellinic Shipping Co. in Piraeus in late August this year, the 17 year old freshly repainted ferry now renamed Northern Sea Wolf has made the 10,100 nautical mile passage to British Columbia via the Panama Canal. The name of the vessel was selected through a community engagement process involving First Nations, BC Ferry Advisory Committee members, BC Ferries employees and the Mid-Coast Ferry Working Group. Beginning in the summer of 2018, she will operate a new mid-coast ferry service with BC Ferries which will offer sailings between Port Hardy and Bella Coola five days per week during peak season which is, to say the least, something of a contrast to servicing some of the Greek Islands.

Built by Panagiotakis Bros, Ampelakia, Greece
Owned and operated by BC Ferries
Delivered in 2000
LOA 75m
Beam 15m
GRT 2679 tons
DWT 353 MT
Propulsion 2 x Cummins Diesels 2399kW
Capacity for 35 vehicles
Passengers and crew 150
Previous names: Agios Andreas II, Andreas II, Mr. Shoppy One, Aqua Spirit

  

The above pictures left and centre show Northern Sea Wolf alongside in picturesque Grand Harbour, Valetta, Malta following drydocking. The voyage to BC was 35 days with bunker calls at the Canary Islands, Antigua, Panama and Manzanillo before the last leg into BC where she is undergoing a mid-life upgrade. BC Ferries has awarded two major contracts to Esquimalt Drydock, the first being a $2 million docking contract. The company will also award approximately $18 million further to Esquimalt Drydock and other local contractors and suppliers for interior and safety upgrades to shipboard systems, crew living and working spaces and a complete passenger accommodation and food services modernization. The picture above right shows her in transit through the Panama Canal on December 1.

  

The above is a small sample of the Northern Sea Wolf in her former lives. As Mr. Shoppy One (centre above) she operated cheap shopping trips between Southern Norway and Strömstad in Sweden. The picture above right shows her making a Mediterranean Mooring (stern first) in choppy seas.