BC Ferries Swartz Bay Terminal
Terminal Public Address System
The Project
BC Ferries engaged Chroma to help modernize the public address system at Swartz Bay Terminal, which serves approximately 7.5 million passengers per year.
Chroma led the process from planning and consultation through design, tendering, construction review, commissioning, and closeout. The upgrades included new audio infrastructure, improved system topology, network integration, and a digitally controlled automated messaging system designed around the needs of terminal staff.
The Challenge
The existing public address system suffered from poor intelligibility, inconsistent sound levels, and aging messaging controller that was becoming increasingly unreliable. In a busy transportation environment, where operational updates, delay messages, and passenger information need to be communicated clearly and quickly, these limitations created both customer experience issues and operational risk.
The terminal environment added further complexity. Swartz Bay covers a large 56-acre site, including vehicle waiting areas, exterior public spaces, and multiple buildings with varied interior conditions. The marine environment is also hard on equipment, requiring a durable and resilient approach to system design. Chroma incorporated input from multiple stakeholder groups, including operations, marketing, IT, and network representatives, while carrying out extensive site investigations to reconstruct existing system information where documentation was incomplete. Integration and switchover were carefully phased so the terminal could remain operational throughout the upgrade.
The Result
The completed system provides BC Ferries with clearer, more consistent, and more reliable public address coverage across Swartz Bay Terminal. Staff can now communicate important terminal messages more quickly and easily, helping passengers receive timely information throughout the many buildings and outdoor areas.
The new system is also more resilient, with network integration, multiple levels of redundancy, fallback options, and system health monitoring to support continuous operation. By combining improved audio design, automated messaging, intuitive controls, and a more robust technical infrastructure, Chroma helped BC Ferries improve both the passenger experience and the operational reliability of its terminal communications.
Location
Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal
Project Team
BC Ferries
Completion Date
January 2026
Services Provided
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Audio Visual Systems, Control Systems |
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Procurement Support |
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Construction Administration, Commissioning |