VESSEL CONVERSION | Saga X – Ferry rebuilt as accommodation ship for Canada's Woodfibre LNG
Canadian LNG export company Woodfibre LNG has deployed an accommodation vessel to support construction works at its LNG export facility in Squamish, British Columbia.
Woodfibre said that Saga X will add 642 new rooms for skilled tradespeople to work at the site, as bringing in additional workforce on-site will be crucial in completing facility construction as quickly as possible and in bringing more Canadian LNG to global markets.
Woodfibre said the decision to use accommodation vessels for the project followed early consultation with Squamish residents, many of whom have expressed concerns about the potential impact of a large construction workforce on community services, traffic, and the local housing market.
The accommodation solution will ensure that the project’s expanding workforce would not compete for local housing, thus avoiding community impacts while maintaining a safe and well-managed work environment. Woodfibre said the first accommodation vessel has been highly successful, both in minimising local impacts and in providing a productive, well-supported accommodation solution.
Second accommodation vessel for export terminal construction support
As with Woodfibre’s first accommodation vessel, Vancouver-based marine services provider the Bridgemans Services Group, through its Bridgemans Floatel division, will be the operator of Saga X.
Following the successful conversion of the vessel (which was originally completed as a Ro-Pax ferry in 1981 for Swedish owner Suomen Yritysrahoitus), Bridgemans will sail the 167-metre (548-foot) Saga X to the Woodfibre site and run its operations on a day to day basis.
“We leased the vessel and refit it in Greece to house workers for a construction project in the Philippines from 2021 to 2024,” Bridgemans told Baird Maritime. “We purchased the vessel in the summer of 2025, then she underwent her refit in Singapore and Batam in Indonesia, before making her way to Vancouver.”
Existing facilities expanded plus new systems installed
Woodfibre meanwhile said that the vessel will integrate the same high-efficiency systems, environmental controls, and low-impact operating procedures already in place on Isabelle X, the company’s earlier accommodation vessel that had been operating at the Squamish site since June 2024.
The work on Saga X entailed rebuilding and upgrading the vessel’s cabins, common areas, and systems over a span of four months. The vessel also now features shore power connectivity, industrial heat pumps to eliminate use of the diesel generators while alongside, an advanced sewage treatment plant, advanced water-making and filtration systems, and a comprehensive waste management plant to reduce waste and maximise recycling.
“The car deck has been converted into a personnel transfer deck with heated lockers, wash stations, security booths, storage containers, and a recycling centre,” added Bridgemans. “Workers depart and arrive from this deck.”
Saga X also features a wide range of amenities to support worker well-being and productivity. These include fitness centres, recreation spaces such as billiard rooms, on-board medical care areas, lounges, a bar, and dining options that serve hot meals as well as take-away lunches. There is also a 200-person auditorium and an outdoor basketball court.
Private cabins with en suite toilets are available for up to 642 workers while separate spaces are reserved for the 89 crew and other onboard personnel. The addition of on-site housing capacity will enable Woodfibre to scale up its workforce without creating any new pressure on the local housing market or essential services, like medical service.
Both Saga X and Isabelle X will remain in place in Squamish through completion of construction at the Woodfibre facility in 2027.
