Damen lays keel on first of four fully electric ferries

The keel laying ceremony at Damen Shipyards Galati. (Photo: Damen Shipyards)

In a a ceremony held November 1st, Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania laid the keel for the first two of four fully electric ferries for BC Ferries. The ceremony marked a milestone in the third phase of construction of the Island Class Ferries, which will provide service between smaller islands surrounding Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

In the second phase of the program, Damen delivered four hybrid diesel-electric ferries, paving the way for development of the fully electric vessels. Now, with availability of renewable shore power to charge them, the new electric vessels, based on the Damen RoRo 8117 E3 design, will be able to conduct their services with zero emissions. This includes transporting up to 390 passengers and up to 47 vehicles between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island, and Campbell River and Quadra Island.

Speaking at the keel laying event, BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez said, “Reaching the keel laying stage brings us one step closer to putting these vessels into service. 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.”

The ceremony marked a milestone in the third phase of construction of the Island Class Ferries. (Photo: Damen Shipyards)

Damen will also supply BC Ferries with the charging facilities required to recharge the ferries’ batteries during (dis)embarkation. To ensure the success of the charging infrastructure, Damen will be conducting tests on a charging tower installed at the Galati yard.

Once delivered, the four fully electric ferries will bring the total number of Damen vessels in the BC Ferries fleet to 10.

“Together, Damen and BC Ferries have been developing these ferries since 2016. 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,” said Damen Area Sales Director Americas Leo Postma. He described it as a testament to the longstanding relationship between the two organizations.

“The result,” he added, “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.”

Damen cuts first steel on fully electric ferries Vessels will be Canada-based BC Ferries’s first fully electric ships