Damen Galati launches another BC Ferries Island class ferry
Written by Nick Blenkey
Photo: Damen
Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania launched the latest Island Class Ferry for BC Ferries on May 22. The vessel, a Damen RoRo 8117 E3, will become the seventh Damen vessel to sail in the BC Ferries fleet.
The ferry is the first in an order for four battery-equipped diesel-hybrid vessels placed at Damen Shipyards Galati in January 2024 that will bring the total number of Damen vessels seving with BC Ferries to ten. The ferries will be capable of operating exclusively on electric power once 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 transport up to 47 vehicles and 390 passengers, recharging during passenger (dis)embarkation using renewable energy.
The launch took place in a week that saw quite some activity at the Galati yard, says Damen Shipyards executive director global sales Leo Postma.
“As well as the launch of the seventh vessel, the next day, on May 23r, the yard also carried out the keel laying for the ninth Island Class vessel, and cut steel for the tenth, says Postma. “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.”
BC Ferries’ executive director of shipbuilding Ed Hooper joined the on-site team to mark these milestones, personally welding the coin during the keel-laying and joining the celebrations for the steel cutting and launch milestones.
“I’m thrilled to celebrate these milestones with the team at Damen Shipyards Galati this week,” he said“The Island Class is now our largest single class of vessels, and they’re a critical part of our larger effort to renew and modernize our entire fleet to meet the needs of the people in British Columbia who rely on BC Ferries every single day.”
As well as the vessels themselves, Damen is also supplying onshore charging equipment to BC Ferries. Following their delivery in 2027, Damen will continue to provide support for the ferries from its Canadian Service Hub located in Victoria, B.C.
Damen operates 35 shipyards and 20 other companies in 20 countries, supported by a worldwide sales and service network. It delivers in the region of 100 vessels per year, with a total production value of over 3 billion euros. It provides direct employment to approximately 12,500 people. I
