Four new Island Class vessels are on order for BC Ferries, with a pair of them set to serve between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

new ferries

Contract awarded for new Island class vessels to link Nanaimo and Gabriola Island

Jan 16, 2024 | 2:14 PM

NANAIMO — Four new hybrid-electric vessels are poised to be added to the BC Ferries fleet.

The company announced on Tuesday, Jan. 16 a contract was awarded to Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group to build four more of the Island-class vessels, mirroring the ships currently sailing between Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island as well as other routes.

The same company built the initial batch of six ships used primarily between Vancouver Island and the northern and southern Gulf Islands.

“The new hybrid electric 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,” BC Ferries’ president and CEO Nicolas Jimenez said in a statement.

Two of the new vessels will replace the ships currently travelling between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island, while another two will provide service between Campbell River and Quadra Island.

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Vessels replaced locally will be redeployed elsewhere in the BC Ferries network.

The statement doesn’t include how much BC Ferries is spending on the new vessels, but approval of the purchase by the BC Ferries Commissioner last year said the four ships would cost more than $50 million, and associated electrification of ferry terminals more than $40 million.

The new ships will each carry at least 47 vehicles and up to 390 passengers and crew with a plan to operate exclusively in battery-electric mode.

BC Ferries introduced the Island Gwawis and Island Kwigi to service between Nanaimo and Gabriola in April 2022, replacing the MV Quinsam.

While able to carry less per trip than the Quinsam, the newer Island Class vessels run in tandem for most of their schedule and boost overall capacity on a run.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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