September 4, 2025
BC Ferries celebrates Island Class launch ceremony and upgrades at Heriot Bay terminal
VICTORIA, BC - BC Ferries has now launched its 8th Island Class vessel at Damen Shipyards in Galati, Romania, bringing the next wave of hybrid-electric Island Class vessels one step closer to sailing in BC’s coastal waters.
“The launch is just one part of a much bigger story, steeped in tradition and marking meaningful progress for BC Ferries’ Island Class program. We believe that each of these four new ships will bring tangible benefits to coastal communities here in British Columbia,” said Ed Hooper, Head of Fleet Renewal at BC Ferries. “As these vessels get closer to their arrival in BC, we’re hard at work preparing our terminals to welcome them into service.”
This milestone marks the structural completion of the hull and the first time the vessel is transferred to the water. It follows the recent wave of Island Class milestones celebrated in May and was once again celebrated with an official ceremony attended by representatives from Damen and BC Ferries’ on-site team.
The four new Island Class vessels are expected to enter service in 2026, and will provide continued two-ship service on the routes between Quadra Island (Quathiaski Cove) and Campbell River, and between Nanaimo Harbour and Gabriola Island (Descanso Bay), allowing the ships currently serving those routes to increase capacity for other ferry-dependent communities. As part of this, BC Ferries plans to redeploy the Island Nagalis to Quadra Island (Heriot Bay) and Cortes Island (Whaletown), nearly doubling passenger and vehicle capacity on this route.
To prepare for this change, BC Ferries is undertaking major upgrades at the Heriot Bay and Whaletown terminals, introducing new modernized berths capable of accommodating the larger Island Class vessel. To minimize service disruptions for customers travelling on this route, a temporary operations trestle was recently constructed at the Heriot Bay terminal, a solution developed in partnership with local contractors that is designed to allow ferry service to continue while the original ramp is removed and replaced. Most of the project’s materials and components are being sourced and manufactured here in British Columbia, with fabrication taking place in Delta, Cowichan Bay, Duncan, and Campbell River. Construction work at both terminals is well underway, expected to be completed by summer 2026 in time for the arrival of the new Island Class vessels.
These projects are part of BC Ferries’ ongoing fleet renewal work, a system-wide effort to replace aging vessels and upgrade terminal infrastructure to enable delivery of the modern, efficient, and reliable ferry service that British Columbians expect. Since 2016, BC Ferries has introduced 10 new vessels to the fleet, including four Salish Class and six Island Class ferries now serving communities from the Southern Gulf Islands to the North Island. These new vessels are designed to improve service reliability, support regional connectivity, and introduce more fuel-efficient technologies.
With eight more vessels scheduled to be delivered by 2031, including these four new lsland Class ferries and four New Major Vessels (NMVs), this is the most ambitious investment in fleet renewal in the company’s history, aimed at modernizing the ferry network to serve BC’s growing population for decades to come.
Learn more about this exciting work on the BC Ferries website:
- Island Class information
- Heriot Bay / Whaletown terminal project information
- Descanso Bay – Gabriola terminal project information
- Fleet Renewal program information
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