BC Ferries has signed a shipbuilding contract with Damen Shipyards for four more battery electric-hybrid Island Class vessels The units, will be scheduled to go into service in 2022. BC Ferries plans to operate the new ships as all-electric ferries, using clean energy, when electric charging technology matures to make electricity available in the quantities required. In the interim, the ships will use an on board low sulphur diesel hybrid system. The total project budget, which includes financing and project management costs, is around CAD 200 million.
