Damen Shipyards Group has marked another milestone in its construction of Island Class Ferries for Canada’s BC Ferries. On November 19, the Island Class 9 was launched into the water at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.
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 the vessels with diesel-electric hybrid propulsion. Once the required shoreside infrastructure is available, BC Ferries is planning to operate the vessels using 100% electrical energy.
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.