MV Queen of Prince Rupert was a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ferry operated by BC Ferries that provided the main surface transport link between the Queen Charlotte Islands and mainland British Columbia, connecting Skidegate with Prince Rupert across the Hecate Strait (thus linking two segments of Highway 16).

Moments before, however, a young boy ran across the dock and tripped over the rope which restrained the chains holding the vessel to the ways.

To ensure that there would be no bad luck associated with an improperly christened ship, Mrs. Murray later "threw another bottle of bubbly at the frisky ferry" as it lay tied up to a pier.

[5] From 1966 to 1979, the route operated from Kelsey Bay, the northern limit of the highway system on Vancouver Island at the time.

The ship departed from Tsawwassen, enabling northerners to travel directly from Prince Rupert to Vancouver by sea.

[6] In 1979, the North Island Highway was completed through to Port Hardy, and a new terminal built at nearby Bear Cove.

The British Columbia government decided to utilize Queen of Prince Rupert on the tourist run from Victoria to Seattle, replacing the coastal steamship Princess Marguerite.

In what was seen by many as a politically expedient move, they leased Queen of Prince Rupert to the BC Steamship Corporation when Princess Marguerite was found to violate US pollution requirements.

This necessitated considerably reduced service in the busy summer tourism season, and had a significant effect on the economies of coastal communities.