BC Ferries celebrates milestone in Island-class construction

Damen Shipyards Group has marked another milestone in its construction of Island-class ferries for Canada’s BC Ferries, with Island Class 9 launched into the water at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania on 19 November. 

The launch follows another key moment in October, when the yard undertook the grand block assembly of Island Class 10. Both vessels form part of an order for four ferries, following the earlier deliveries of Island-class vessels 1-6 between 2019 and 2021.

The four ferries currently under construction are based on the Damen 8117 (E3) electric ferry design. Damen is constructing the vessels to be fully electric-ready.

The shipbuilder is installing diesel-electric hybrid propulsion on the vessels. Once the required shoreside infrastructure is available, BC Ferries is planning to operate the vessels using 100% electrical energy. 

When complete, these will be the first fully electric ferries to operate in BC Ferries’ fleet, featuring battery packs with the capacity to supply the power train with 2,000 kWh of electricity. 

In a recent interview with PST, BC Ferries chief executive Nicolas Jimenez explained why electric power was chosen, “We own and operate our terminals, which means we have the flexibility to do things others can’t. The second advantage is that we have is a very stable and reliable green energy source.” Some 95% of BC’s grid is from government-owned BC Hydro. “They have a mandate to facilitate the energy needs of the province, whatever it is, and we benefit from that. The issue is for us to build the shore power infrastructure, putting in a combination of fixed and floating units.” 

The four all-electric Island ferries will only ply short routes – between 10 and 25 minutes – which will enable them to charge at their time in port throughout the day.

Following delivery, Damen will continue to provide support to the vessels, as it does currently to BC Ferries’ other Island-class vessels, from its service hub in Victoria.

Once in operation, Island-class vessels 7-10 will provide services connecting Nanaimo with Gabriola Island, and Campbell River with Quadra Island. The ferries are capable of carrying up 47 vehicles and 390 passengers.