BC Ferries says they have awarded a contract to Damen Shipyards Group, and four new hybrid electric ferries are coming to the East Island for 2027.
The ferry line says Damen is the same shipyard that built the six previous Island Class ferries based out of the Netherlands and the boats will be built in Romania. They add no Canadian Companies submitted a bid.
At least 47 vehicles and up to 390 passengers and crew can be carried by the new vessels. BC Ferries says it will also have several features that support its Clean Futures Plan goals of being efficient and environmentally responsible in its fleet.
They plan to operate the vessels exclusively in battery-electric mode.
“The new hybrid vessels will further standardize our fleet, both increasing capacity and improving our flexibility to move ships across routes so our passengers can have confidence that we’ll get them where they need to go,” said president and CEO Nicolas Jimenez.
“Adding more Island Class vessels will also make it easier to deploy crew, create efficiencies in training costs, and promote safe, reliable and environmentally conscious ferry services up and down the coast.”
The boats are planned to sail between Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island, and Campbell River and Quadra Island. They add a separate contract will see the corresponding electrical upgrades needed for charging the ships.
