Canadian transport company BC Ferries has confirmed that the keels of two new Island-class fully electric Ro-Pax ferries were laid during a ceremony on Friday, November 1.
Once completed, the ferries will each have a length of 81 metres, a beam of 17 metres, a maximum speed of 14 knots, and space for 390 passengers and up to 47 vehicles. They will be operated on BC Ferries' routes between Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island and between the Campbell River and Quadra Island in British Columbia.
New charging facilities will also be installed at the four stops to enable the vessels to safely charge their batteries even during embarkation and disembarkation.
The ferries themselves will boast a new design that will streamline crew operations, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness by having similar technology and protocols across the BC Ferries fleet.
All four fully electric ferries in the same series are scheduled to be in operation by 2027. They will be operated by BC Ferries alongside six earlier Island-class sister vessels fitted with hybrid diesel-electric propulsion systems.