- IMO
- 8111386
- MMSI
- 316001266
- Call Sign
- VY6800
Technical Specifications
Key Figures
Live Tracking
Current Position
Where it waited most
Most time stopped at Crofton — 3 d across 29 stays.
- 1Crofton3 d · 29×
Derived from the AIS track — runs of near-zero speed (anchored, moored or drifting) snapped to the nearest port. Builds up as we observe the vessel.
Intelligence
Risk & Sustainability
Compliance
Safety Record
- RISK OF COLLISION (near collision) - With another vessel or other floating objectMinorApr 7, 2024Grave Point, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 07 April 2024, the ferry "QUINSAM", with 24 people on board, reported having experienced a close quarters situation with a pleasure craft in Osborn Bay, BC. The ferry used sound signals and maneuvered to avoid a collision.
- TOTAL FAILURE OF ANY MACHINERY OR TECHNICAL SYSTEMMinorJul 31, 2022Crofton, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 31 July 2022, the ro-ro passenger ferry "QUINSAM" reported 1 of its 4 right angle drives as being unserviceable while at the ferry terminal in Crofton, BC. With its remaining drives, the ferry continued its scheduled sailing.
- TOTAL FAILURE OF ANY MACHINERY OR TECHNICAL SYSTEMMinorJun 8, 2022Vesuvius, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 08 June 2022, the ro-ro ferry "QUINSAM" reported that 1 of its 4 engines had broken down near the ferry terminal in Vesuvius, BC. The vessel continued its scheduled sailing with its remaining engines.
- TOTAL FAILURE OF ANY MACHINERY OR TECHNICAL SYSTEMMinorSep 15, 2016Nanaimo, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 15 September 2016, the passenger ferry "QUINSAM" reported the failure of No 4 diesel engine near Gabriola Island, BC. The vessel continued its voyage to Gabriola Island, BC on 3 diesel engines.
- TOTAL FAILURE OF ANY MACHINERY OR TECHNICAL SYSTEMMinorAug 31, 2016Jack Point, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 31 August 2016, the ferry "QUINSAM", reported a failure of 1 of its 4 Right Angle Drives in Northumberland Channel, BC. The ferry continued on scheduled runs.
- RISK OF COLLISION (near collision) - With another vessel or other floating objectMinorJun 29, 2016Duke Point, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 29 June 2016, the ferry "QUINSAM" reported a close quarter situation with the tug "SEASPAN PUSHER in Northumberland Channel, BC.
- GROUNDING - Under power (non-intentional)SeriousMay 29, 2010NANAIMO HARBOUR, BC, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 29 May 2010, the BCFS "QUINSAM" made an unexpected sheer to starboard and struck the sea wall off the berth in Nanaimo Harbour, BC. The vessel sustained some propellor damage to No. 1 SRAD.
- CARGO SHIFT/CARGO LOSS - Cargo lost overboardMinorJan 9, 2007NANAIMO HARBOUR, BC, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 9 January 2007, the P/F: "QUINSAM", while loading last car in Nanaimo Harbour, BC, vessel unexpectedly left berth. Occupant of car evacuated before car entered water.
Recorded marine occurrences naming this vessel.
Operational Status
Activity
Stopped, anchored or moored on its latest broadcast — parked, not necessarily withdrawn.
Read from the single most-recent AIS broadcast we hold for this hull — we keep no position history, so this is a point-in-time posture, not a dwell inference. Derived in-house from our own AIS feed; weight it by the broadcast age above.
Port calls
2 recent · AIS-detectedArrivals, time in port and the load/discharge inferred from the draught change — detected from AIS track history. An open call means the vessel is still in port (no departure observed yet).
- op. unknownIn port since
- op. unknownIn port since
Method: each call is a run of fixes inside a port’s geofence confirmed by a stop (or an AIS gap); load/discharge is the sign of the draught delta over the call. Indicative — arrivals before our AIS history began read from the first observation.
Composite Risk
Risk Score
Multiple adverse factors, or a hard ship-specific signal, lift this hull above the fleet norm.
A coverage-weighted blend of the 2 components we could read for this hull — the weights renormalise over only the components present, so a thin read is never inflated and a hull is never credited a “safe 0” for a signal it has no row for. This headline is flagged low-confidence (a thin or structural-only read) and should not be treated as a verdict. Higher means riskier. Derived in-house from government-open port-State-control, flag, sanctions and our own vessel data; weight it by the coverage above.
Estimated
Capacity & Classification
Other · summer draught 2.55 m · 2.2 t per cm immersion
Estimate only — modelled from deadweight (deadweight only) using a first-principles hydrostatic model, not measured hydrostatic tables. The design draught it is anchored to is unreliable across the fleet.
Commercial
Voyage Estimate
Overview
About This Vessel
MV Quinsam is an automobile ferry operated by BC Ferries. It was built in 1982 by Vancouver Shipyards in Vancouver, British Columbia. Initially, the ferry was part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' (MoT) saltwater ferry fleet until 1985, when it was transferred to BC Ferries along with other saltwater ferries, such as Quinsam. Quinsam carries 70 cars and replaced the smaller MV Quinitsa (which carries fifty cars) on the Nanaimo ↔ Gabriola Island route, and then once again on the Vesuvius ↔ Crofton route in 2022. Quinsam has few passenger amenities onboard. On each side of the car deck, there are small passenger lounges offering some seating, along with washrooms and vending machines. In 2010, she underwent a $16 million mid-life upgrade, which included new engines and generators, a rebuilt pilothouse and passenger cabin, as well as steel replacement.
Fleet Management
Ownership & Management

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