BC Ferries has selected China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards (CMI Weihai) to build four vessels with diesel-battery hybrid propulsion systems.
Designed with the capability to operate on full electric power in the future, the vessels are expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve fuel efficiency and lower underwater radiated noise to protect marine life. With greater capacity than the vessels they replace, these are intended to offer upgraded amenities and more space for vehicles and passengers, supporting a more reliable and comfortable travel experience.
BC Ferries’ fleet renewal strategy
The vessels will replace four aging ships that are nearing the end of their service lives and increasingly prone to mechanical issues and service disruptions. They form part of BC Ferries’ long-term fleet renewal strategy, addressing the need to modernize aging vessels and infrastructure, accommodate expected growth in demand and enhance overall system resilience.
Since 2016, BC Ferries has added 10 new vessels to its fleet, including four mid-size Salish Class vessels and six smaller Island Class ships. With four more Island Class vessels arriving in 2026, and the four new diesel-battery hybrid vessels expected to be in service between 2029-2031, the company is on track to introduce 18 new vessels in just 15 years.
Local investment
In the new diesel-battery hybrid vessels’ first 10 years of service, BC Ferries anticipates investing over C$230m (US$170m) locally on refits and scheduled maintenance, and more than C$1bn (US$700m) over their expected 45-year lifespans. This doesn’t include ongoing maintenance and refits for the rest of the fleet, which will continue to generate economic benefits for British Columbia (BC)’s shipbuilding and maritime sectors. In addition to this reinvestment, the vessels are expected to generate approximately 17,200 job-years of employment and C$1.2bn (US$880m) in wages, and contribute C$2.2bn (US$2.9bn) to BC’s GDP over their service lifetime.
The company stated that while disclosing the total construction cost could compromise its ability to secure the best value on future vessel procurements, the fixed-price contract to build these vessels is within the approval limits provided by the BC Ferries commissioner.
Building a partnership
“BC Ferries will have our own professional team of shipbuilding experts on-site at the shipyard throughout construction to provide ongoing oversight and quality assurance,” said Ed Hooper, BC Ferries’ head of fleet renewal. “Our team inspected the CMI Weihai shipyard as part of the selection process, and the scale and scope of the operations was impressive. Safety is our highest value, and our in-person evaluations focused on safety management, quality systems, engineering capability, materials storage and handling, production facilities, environmental protection and even the dedicated space for our on-site team, among other factors. We are confident that CMI Weihai will be able to meet our high expectations for safety and quality while delivering tremendous value for our customers and on-time delivery of the four vessels.”
“CMI Weihai is a global leader in passenger ferry construction and shipbuilding more broadly,” said Nicolas Jimenez, CEO of BC Ferries. “It was the clear choice based on the overall strength of its bid, including its technical capabilities, high quality and safety standards, ferry-building experience, proven ability to deliver safe, reliable vessels on dependable timelines, and the overall cost and value it delivers for our customers – all essential as we continue to experience growing demand and the urgent need to renew our aging fleet.”