The former BC ferry that has been sitting in Port Alberni害羞草研究所檚 harbour for four and a half years has been sold.

Mike Surrell, owner of Lady Rose Marine Services, purchased the former MV Tenaka from BC Ferries in 2016 intending to use it as a cargo vessel to complement the business he already does with the MV Frances Barkley.

There was so much interest from people asking if he was going to start a car ferry from Port Alberni up Vancouver Island害羞草研究所檚 west coast that he began working with the provincial government on plans to do just that.

However, government red tape makes for slow progress, and the economic strife surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has forced Surrell to sell the vessel.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been bought by a private family who reside in Alaska,害羞草研究所� Surrell said Monday, March 8. 害羞草研究所淭hey plan to use it in the construction industry up there in some form.害羞草研究所�

Surrell sold the ferry for an undisclosed amount of money. He had purchased it in the spring of 2016 after winning a public bidding process through BC Ferries.

The ferry害羞草研究所檚 sale dashes any hope of Lady Rose Marine Services providing car ferry service to the west coast. Surrell said although he had been slowly acquiring infrastructure to run a car ferry, the sale of the former MV Tenaka has quashed his plans. He does not intend to look for another ferry once the economy turns around post-COVID-19.

害羞草研究所淪hips like that are hard to find. I know the vessel looks ugly but it害羞草研究所檚 in very, very good condition.害羞草研究所�

Surrell said the ferry will depart Port Alberni around the end of March.

The vessel害羞草研究所檚 new owner will have his own crew sail it to Bellingham, Washington to retrofit it to his needs. He will load it with equipment after that and head for Alaska.

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