BC Ferries’ new battery-powered ship touches water at Damen Galati yard

May 27, 2025, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

Romania-based Damen Shipyards Galati, part of Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group, has launched the latest Island class ferry for Canadian ferry company BC Ferries.

Launched on the Danube River on May 22, 2025, the ferry is the first in a series of four battery-equipped diesel-hybrid vessels ordered by BC Ferries in January 2024.

The ferries will be capable of operating exclusively on electric power once the charging infrastructure is in place at the terminals. They will connect four coastal communities in British Columbia, operating between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island and Campbell River and Quadra Island, respectively.

The vessels will be capable of transporting up to 47 vehicles and 390 passengers, recharging during passenger (dis)embarkation using renewable energy.

View on Offshore-energy.

On May 23, the ninth and tenth Island class vessels also reached key stages.

“As well as the launch of the seventh vessel, the next day, on the 23rd, the yard also carried out the keel laying for the ninth Island Class vessel, and cut steel for the tenth. It’s great to see the projects making progress in this way, with so many milestone moments taking place simultaneously. We’re all looking forward to the further development of these sustainable ferries in the coming months,” Leo Postma, Executive Director Global Sales, commented.

“I’m thrilled to celebrate these milestones with the team at Damen Shipyards Galati this week. The Island Class is now our largest single class of vessels, and they’re a critical part of our larger effort to renew and modernise our entire fleet to meet the needs of the people in British Columbia who rely on BC Ferries every single day,” Ed Hooper, BC Ferries’ Executive Director of Shipbuilding, said.

“There are already many vessels built by Damen Galati operating in Canada and there will be many more in the years ahead,” Gavin Buchan, Canadian Ambassador to Romania, stressed.

As well as the vessels themselves, Damen is also supplying onshore charging equipment to BC Ferries.

The four Island class vessels currently under construction will be delivered in two phases, with the first two expected to arrive in British Columbia in the spring of 2026, and the remaining two in the fall, with all four entering service by 2027.

The Island class features the most ships of any BC Ferries’ vessel class, with six currently in operation and four more under construction. They are a core part of BC Ferries’ broader strategy to reduce emissions, minimize underwater noise, and improve inter-island connectivity.

The battery-equipped Island class vessels are designed for full electric operation once terminal infrastructure is in place. To achieve this, BC Ferries is working with BC Hydro to install shore-based rapid charging infrastructure. The Nanaimo Harbour terminal is on track for electrification by summer 2026, with the remaining three terminals expected to be electrified by early 2027.