Nanaimo-Vancouver ferry service takes another step towards launching
A new foot passenger-only ferry service between Nanaimo and Vancouver has marked another milestone towards starting operations.
The new company, called Hullo, says its first 354-passenger catamaran has left its shipyard in Vietnam and is heading to Vancouver Island.
Hullo held a ground-breaking ceremony in Nanaimo in April, where a new terminal at 100 Port Dr. is under construction.
A total of two ferries will sail between downtown Nanaimo and downtown Vancouver, with the other dock located at the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre at Burrard Landing, located at 1055 Canada Pl.
Sailings are expected to take 70 minutes, according to the Vancouver Island Ferry Company (VIFC), which is launching Hullo.
VIFC says there will be up to seven round-trip sailings planned seven days a week, and free Wi-Fi is available on board.
There's still no word yet on when Hullo will officially launch, though the company says it hopes to begin sailing in late summer 2023.
VIFC has yet to release details on pricing as well, though it says more information will be coming soon about its three different tiers of seating, ranging from comfort to premium and business.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

NEW Why does a group of B.C. killer whales harass and kill porpoises without eating them?
A group of orcas that inhabit Canadian waters are known to harass and kill porpoises without eating them. A new study tries to explain why.
NEW Is artificial intelligence bad for the environment? Experts say it's complicated
As artificial intelligence dominates the public interest, some experts fear we don't understand the true climate impact of these models.
Two killed in bear attack at Banff National Park, grizzly euthanized: Parks Canada
Parks Canada says a bear attack in Alberta's Banff National Park has left two people dead.
Environmental groups increasingly using competition law to fight fossil fuel sector
In the last year, Canadian green groups have lodged at least four formal complaints with the Competition Bureau, alleging false or misleading environmental claims by fossil fuel companies or -- in the case of a complaint against RBC -- those who finance them.
Jury acquits delivery driver of main charge in shooting of YouTube prankster
A jury on Thursday found a delivery driver not guilty in the shooting of a YouTube prankster who followed him around a mall food court earlier this year.
Suicide bomber detonates a device in the Turkish capital. A second assailant is killed in a shootout
A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the heart of the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Sunday A second assailant was killed in a shootout with police, the interior minister said.
W5 Ferraris worth nearly $1M seized from Edmonton men linked to Pivot Airlines drug-smuggling scandal
Two Edmonton men at the centre of an international cocaine-trafficking scandal that led to the detainment of a Canadian airline crew in the Dominican Republic last year are back in the spotlight. They're facing numerous charges after police seized a pair of stolen Ferraris worth roughly $1 million.
Blue Jays secure playoff berth
The Toronto Blue Jays are returning to the post-season. Toronto secured an American League playoff spot when the visiting Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 6-1 tonight.
Can you watch 'Toy Story Funday Football' in Canada?
The NFL is airing a special animated broadcast featuring 'Toy Story' characters when the Atlanta Falcons play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.