By
Laura Hyde |
Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania has laid the keel for the first two of four fully electric ferries for BC Ferries.
The shipyard hosted a keel laying ceremony to mark the construction milestone for the Island-class ferries. Construction on the vessels began with the steel cutting in July 2024.
BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez laid a one-ounce silver Canadian dollar on the two keels. The coin depicts five orcas which, according to the ferry operator, “reflects the beauty of Canada’s west coast waters” where the ferries will operate.
The silver keel coins feature five orcas to “reflect the beauty of Canada’s west coast waters” according to BC Ferries and Damen
The new vessels are based on the Damen RoRo 8117 E3 design and will transport up to 390 passengers and up to 47 vehicles between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island, and Campbell River and Quadra Island in British Columbia, Canada. The four ferries will run with zero emissions and connect to renewable shore power in the ports. Damen will also supply the facilities required to recharge the ferries’ batteries during (dis)embarkation following tests on a charging tower installed at the Galati yard.
“Reaching the keel laying stage brings us one step closer to putting these vessels into service,” said Jimenez. “It’s exciting to see our vision for fully electric ferries coming to life. These ferries will not only reduce our environmental impact, but also increase capacity, improve service reliability and provide a quieter, more efficient travel experience for our customers.”
From left, David Tolman of BC Ferries and Henk Grunstra from Damen with Nicolas Jimenez of BC Ferries at the keel laying ceremony
“Together, Damen and BC Ferries have been developing these ferries since 2016,” said Leo Postma, area sales director Americas at Damen. “We are very proud to have collaborated on such a large series of vessels, an achievement that is perhaps unique in the world of waterborne public transport. This is a testament to the excellent and long-standing relationship that exists between our two organisations. The result is a series of vessels suited to the specific requirements of BC Ferries and British Columbia, and offering a considerable amount of commonality across the fleet.”
BC Ferries is aiming to reduce its emissions by 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030.