BC Ferries has awarded a contract for four battery electric-hybrid Island Class vessels to Damen Shipyards Group of the the Netherlands.
The ships are scheduled to go into service in 2022, Victoria’s Point Hope Shipyards will provide technical and warranty support.
For now they will use their on board low-sulphur diesel hybrid system, but the corporation says when electric technology matures to allow enough energy to be available in quantities required they will be used as all-electric ships.
The ships are part BC Ferries’ Clean Futures Plan. They will used on the Powell River – Texada Island route and the Port McNeill – Alert Bay – Sointula Island route by mid-2020.
The third and fourth new vessels will service the Campbell River – Quadra Island route and the fifth and sixth new ships will serve the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route by 2022.
“These next four Island Class ships are a major step in our plan to progressively lower emissions across the fleet and be a
leader in the energy transition to a lower carbon future,” said Captain Jamie Marshall, B.C. Ferries’ Vice President, Business Development & Innovation in a statement.
The corporation says one larger ship with two smaller vessels on each of these routes means customers will receive more frequent service, increased passenger capacity per hour, reduced vehicle line-ups, improved safety and reduced congestion on local roads.
Damen contracts was awarded to build the two “first in class” of the vessels in 2017.
BC Ferries received responses from 18 international shipyards and short-listed nine shipyards to proceed to the Request for Proposal stage. No Canadian companies submitted a bid.
The total project budget, which includes financing and project management costs, is around $200 million.
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