Cruise ship undergoes massive refit in North Vancouver
A cruise ship docked in North Vancouver is undergoing a massive refit that is expected to last more than two weeks.
The MS Regatta, a 680-passenger ship, will be getting a makeover that includes new furnishings, carpets and TVs, and the ship will have its hull stripped and re-coated.
The 30,000 tonne ship will be docked at Seaspan Vancouver Drydock in Lower Lonsdale while under renovation. More than 2,000 workers will stay on the Grand Classica, a passenger ship docked nearby.
The MS Regatta will be docked until Sept. 21 and work will be underway 24 hours a day until completion.
In a statement on its website, Seaspan says the work is expected to bring $10 million to North Vancouver's economy.
Because 375 shipping containers filled with equipment will be in the drydock's parking lot, Seaspan estimates about 100 extra daily commuters will be parking in nearby lots.
In an email, Seaspan spokesperson Erika Schade said the company is working to minimize the disruptions on the North Vancouver neighbourhood.
"We ... have hired a traffic management company to minimize disruption to traffic to and from the work site and are also encouraging project team members to carpool or take transit to the site whenever possible to reduce the number of vehicles in the area," she said.
