Expressions of interest to buy the Queen of Nanaimo and the Queen of Burnaby ferries are being accepted until April 20.
This is the second time that B.C. Ferries has put the Queen of Burnaby on the market. The Queen of Nanaimo will be used this summer and then retired.
The 52-year-old Queen of Burnaby was listed for sale in February in an online auction.
Although the minimum bid of $400,000 was met, B.C. Ferries decided to put that bid in abeyance and test the market through an expression of interest, Ferries spokeswoman Deborah Marshall said Thursday.
The Queen of Burnaby is being replaced by the $84-million dual-fuel Salish Orca, a new ferry built in a Polish shipyard to take over the Powell River-Comox run.
Built at the now-closed Victoria Machinery Depot, the Queen of Burnaby is 426 feet long, can carry 168 vehicles and has capacity for 904 passengers and crew.
The Queen of Nanaimo, also built in Victoria, is slightly older at age 53.
It will continue operating on the Southern Gulf Island-Tsawwassen route this summer and will then be replaced by another new Salish-class ship, the Salish Eagle.
With a vehicle capacity of 164, the Queen of Nanaimo, at 426 feet long, can carry 1,004 passengers and crew.
Meanwhile, B.C. Ferries also issued a tender Thursday for a life extension trestle project at Departure Bay berth in Nanaimo. Work includes replacing timber pile and braces on the staff walkway. Bids must be in by May 2.
