BC Ferries prepares to invest in green ship fleet

Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries has unveiled plans to order five of seven new environmentally friendly vessels for its busiest routes, with the remaining two to be built in a later phase.

The move is seen as a major step forward in the company’s New Major Vessels (NMV) project and marks a ‘critical’ milestone in BC Ferries’ largest capital investment ever.

As explained, the company has started the new procurement process to address projected population growth, replace aging vessels and meet customer expectations.

BC Ferries has designed the new vessels in collaboration with Norwegian naval architecture and ship design firm LMG Marin to be able to carry up to 360 standard-sized vehicles and 2,100 passengers, marking a significant capacity increase from the 250-310 vehicles and 1,200-1,500 passengers that the retiring vessels currently accommodate.

They will also be among the largest double-ended ferries in the world, with significantly improved energy efficiency and propulsion systems designed for both future flexibility and environmentally sustainable operations, according to the company.

“These new vessels will be quieter and cleaner than the vessels they replace, allowing us to achieve a significant reduction in our corporate greenhouse gas emissions. They will move more people and vehicles, more efficiently, helping us maintain current schedules and contributing to reduced wait times,” Ed Hooper, Executive Director of Shipbuilding at BC Ferries, commented.

“Importantly, the addition of another ship to the fleet will bring the total to 12 vessels on BC Ferries’ major routes, helping us keep pace with customer demand and projected population growth along the coast.”

Pre-qualified shipyards will now participate in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process with contracts expected to be awarded in spring 2025, subject to approval from the Ferry Commissioner.

The first ship will be expected to start service in 2029, with all five in service by 2031.

This RFP is said to represent a significant milestone in the organization’s fleet renewal strategy and efforts to increase capacity and resilience on major routes. The second phase of the NMV project will be conducted with the aim to award shipbuilding contracts for the additional two vessels by 2033, which would mean those ships would enter service by approximately 2037.

“By adopting a phased strategy, we can responsibly increase capacity and resilience while carefully managing our investments to minimize fare pressures for customers. Additionally, the flexibility to refine the final two vessels based on insights from the initial builds and operational performance ensures we deliver the best possible service for the future,” Nicolas Jimenez, President and CEO of BC Ferries, said.

Apart from the procurement of seven new ships, work will be planned to extend the operational life of BC Ferries’ two existing C-Class vessels, the Queen of Surrey and the Queen of Oak Bay, through local shipyards and contractors, the company added.

This summer, BC Ferries saw record-breaking passenger and vehicle traffic, with over 8,040,000 passengers and over 3,150,000 vehicles transported between June 1 and August 31. Over the past few years, the company has consistently set new records for passenger volume, highlighting the growing demand for ferry services in British Columbia. Without these new vessels, major route capacity during the peak season will be exceeded by 2035, leading to longer waits for residents and negative impacts on local economies, particularly in goods delivery and tourism.

Two months ago, construction began on the first two of four new battery-electric hybrid Island Class vessels ordered by BC Ferries. Being built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania, the ships are designed to operate on renewable BC Hydro electricity, supporting the Province’s CleanBC goals and bringing the company closer to its 2030 targets by reducing emissions by 10,000 tons of CO2 equivalent.

The units are set to begin arriving in BC in 2026.