Damen lays keels for first of four fully-electric ferries
Written by Nick Blenkey
Keel laying ceremony saw a silver Canadian Dollar laid on keel
On Nov.1, Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania hosted a ceremony to lay the keels for the first two of four fully-electric ferries for BC Ferries. The keel laying ceremony marked an important milestone in the third phase of construction of the Island Class Ferries, which will bring the total number of Damen vessels in the BC Ferries fleet to ten.
During the recent second phase of the program, Damen delivered four hybrid diesel-electric ferries. These reduced emissions vessels were intended to pave the way to the development of fully electric vessels.
Now, with availability of renewable shore power to charge the vessels, the four fully-electric ferries will be able to conduct operations with zero emissions.
During the event, the traditions of shipbuilding were honored when BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez laid a silver Canadian Dollar on the two keels. The 1 oz pure silver coin, depicts five orcas, reflecting the beauty of Canada’s west coast waters where the ferries will sail.
The ceremony was in happy contrast to the local and low-key celebrations held during construction of the second phase of Island Class Ferries in the Coronavirus pandemic. As such, any construction milestones were marked only by local, and low-key celebrations.
“The keel laying is a significant milestone, not just in the construction of these ships, but in our journey to provide enhanced capacity and service reliability for our customers while moving towards a cleaner, more sustainable fleet,” said Jimenez. “By building fully electric ferries, we’re taking a major step in reducing emissions, meeting increased demand, and fulfilling our environmental commitments.”
These fully electric vessels are planned to serve routes between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island, and Campbell River and Quadra Island. Each vessel will carry up to 390 passengers and 47 vehicles, operating with zero emissions by utilizing renewable shore power for battery charging. They will replace older vessels and expand the Island Class fleet, which already includes six hybrid diesel-battery electric ferries introduced in recent years.
“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,” added Jimenez. “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 vessels are based on the Damen RoRo 8117 E3 design. They will transport up to 390 passengers, together with up to 47 vehicles.
In addition to the vessels, Damen will also supply BC Ferries with the charging facilities required to recharge their batteries during embarkation and disembarkation. To ensure the success of the charging infrastructure, Damen will be conducting tests on a charging tower installed at the Galati yard.
“Today’s keel laying marks an exciting milestone in the development of the Island Class,” said Damen area sales director, Americas, Leo Postma. “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. This is a testament to the excellent and long-standing relationship that exists between our two organizations. The result 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.”
Currently, Damen has six fully-electric ferries under contract to be constructed at the Galati yard. This includes the four Island Class Ferries, which are scheduled to be operational in Canada during 2027, as well as two ferries for the City of Toronto.
