PORT HARDY, B.C. – Planned direct ferry service between Port Hardy and Bella Coola has been delayed until September.
The service was originally slated to start on June 19th, but was delayed to July 20th. BC Ferries said it’s been delayed once again, and is scheduled to start on Sept. 16th.
The company said the uncertain date of the refit work on the Northern Sea Wolf, the vessel acquired for the route, has caused the service delay.
BC Ferries stated that to ensure travel certainty, the MV Northern Adventure is going to be deployed “at its earliest availability” to offer two round-trip sailings per week from Sept. 16th to the end of the summer season on October 11th.
Customers who have made reservations for direct sailings between Port Hardy and Bella Coola for dates between July 20th and September 15th will be affected by the delay, according to a notice from BC Ferries. Customers with reservations on September 16th or later are not affected.
The company said that for affected customers, travel modifications will be made in one of two ways. Either their travel will be re-booked on the indirect ferry service via Bella Bella, or reservations will be cancelled and fully refunded.
Customers whose bookings are cancelled will be offered the option to sail after September 15th.
If that does not work for customers, they will be offered complimentary travel between Port Hardy and Bella Coola in the 2019 service season.
“BC Ferries sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience this delay has caused its customers and the communities,” read a statement from the company.
MyTriPortNow.com has reached out to BC Ferries for further comment.
