British Columbia’s BC Ferries announced it has selected China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards (CMI Weihai) to build four new major vessels (NMVs) following a rigorous global procurement process that included a public request for proposals, comprehensive bid evaluations, international site visits, and independent third-party reference checks.
The vessels will replace four aging ships nearing the end of their service lives. “BC Ferries will have our own professional team of shipbuilding experts onsite at the shipyard throughout construction to provide ongoing oversight and quality assurance,” said Ed Hooper, BC Ferries’ head of fleet renewal.
Since 2016, BC Ferries has added ten new vessels to its fleet, including four mid-size Salish class vessels and six smaller Island class ships.
With four more Island class vessels arriving in 2026, and all four NMVs expected to be in service between 2029-2031, BC Ferries remains on track to introduce 18 new vessels in just 15 years.
BC Ferries references China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards’ strong record of building passenger and vehicle vessels for large operators.
The company also highlights that in their first 10 years of service it anticipates investing over $230m locally on refits and scheduled maintenance for the four currently approved NMVs, and more than $1bn over their expected 45-year lifespans.
“This doesn’t include ongoing maintenance and refits for the rest of the fleet, which will continue to generate economic benefits for BC’s shipbuilding and maritime sectors,” the company says.
The vessels, built with diesel-battery hybrid propulsion systems, will be designed with the capability to operate on full electric power in the future.
BC Ferries declined to announce the total construction cost but said the contract is within the limits approved by the BC Ferries Commissioner.
“While disclosing the total construction cost could compromise BC Ferries’ ability to secure the best value on future vessel procurements, the fixed-price contract to build these NMVs is within the approval limits provided by the BC Ferries Commissioner,” the company concluded in its statement.
