BC Ferries Awards Shipyard Contract for New Hybrid Electric Vessels
Canada's BC Ferries announced Dutch shipbuilding conglomerate Damen Shipyards Group has been selected to build its four new hybrid electric Island Class vessels.Damen, the same shipbuilder that built BC Ferries’ previous six Island Class ferries between 2020 and 2022, will construct the vessels in Romania, after its bid was selected from among several proposals received from around the world. No Canadian companies bid for the build program, BC Ferries said.The agreement is a design-build…
BC Ferries Christens the Fifth Island Class Ferry
BC Ferries revealed the name of its latest Island Class Ferry this week at a naming ceremony at its fleet maintenance facility in Richmond, B.C. Island Kwigwis is the newest vessel to join the fleet and will begin service in the spring of 2022, allowing for two-ship operation on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route.The name Kwigwis, which means "eagle of the sea," was selected with support from the 'Na̲mg̲is First Nation and celebrates the beauty of the journey and the important connection to coastal communities.
Fifth Hybrid-electric Vessel Launched for BC Ferries
BC Ferries’ newbuild program continues with the launch of its fifth Island Class hybrid-electric ferries last Thursday at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania. When in operation, the yet-to-be named vessel will be one of two assigned to the Nanaimo Harbor – Gabriola Island route.Work will continue on the new ferry until scheduled sea trials in June. Following sea trials, the vessel will be delivered to Point Hope Maritime in Victoria in late 2021 for final preparations. Two-ship service is scheduled to begin on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route by early 2022…
Corvus to Supply ESS for BC Ferries Newbuilds
Corvus Energy reports it has been selected by Damen Shipyards to supply the energy storage system (ESS) for four new battery-hybrid ferries for BC Ferries.BC Ferries placed a repeat order with Damen Shipyards Group for four Damen Road Ferries 8117 E3 design—known by BC Ferries as the 'Island Class' vessels. The diesel-electric hybrid ferries are prepared for fully battery-powered, zero-emissions operation in the future. Until electrical charging systems are in place, the ferries…
BC Ferries Chooses SCHOTTEL Propulsion
SCHOTTEL said it secured an order to provide propulsion units for four 81-meter hybrid-electric road ferries ordered by Canadian operator BC Ferries from Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.Captain Jamie Marshall, Vice President, Business Development and Innovation at BC Ferries, said, “We’ve had positive experiences with SCHOTTEL azimuth thrusters in our Salish Class ferries, and opted for the German manufacturer for our Island Class as well. The propulsion system is efficient…
BC Ferries Orders 4 Hybrid-Electric Vessels
Canadian ferry owner and operator British Columbia Ferry Services Inc (BC Ferries) has made a further order of four additional electric-battery hybrid Island Class vessels from a major European shipyard.The ferry corporation announced that Damen Shipyards Group of the Netherlands has been awarded the contract to build the new vessels.Project cost for the four latest Island-class vessels is about $200 million, including financing and project-management.According to a release, BC Ferries’ procurement process resulted in 18 bids from international shipyards, with a shortlist of nine shipyards invited to participate in the detailed bidding process.
BC Ferries to Build Five New Vessels
Canadian ferry owner and operator BC Ferries has issued Requests for Expressions of Interest (RFEOI) for the procurement of five new vessels to replace its aging fleet.The competitive bidding process is open to local, national and international shipyards, including consortiums, and BC Ferries encourages local and national companies to bid on these projects.The first RFEOI is for the procurement process for the construction of four 81-metre Island Class ferries, each with a capacity of 450 passengers and 47 vehicles. The expected delivery date for the first two of these vessels is in 2020, with the following two ships delivered in 2021.The second RFEOI is for the construction of one 107-metre Salish Class vessel with a capacity of 600 passengers and 138 vehicles.
BC Ferries Investigating Ferry Incident
BC Ferries' MV Quinsam, which operates on the Nanaimo Harbor – Gabriola Island route, unexpectedly pulled away from the dock at Nanaimo Harbor as the ship was loading vehicles. A pick-up truck was on the ramp when the vessel started to move and BC Ferries’ crew quickly alerted the lone male occupant to exit his vehicle immediately. After the driver exited his truck, the vehicle dropped off the ramp and into the water. There were no injuries in the incident. There were no persons in the water. BC Ferries will be conducting a full investigation into the cause of this incident. Additional information will be released as soon as it becomes available. Vehicle service between Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island has been temporarily suspended until further notice.
