At a ceremony at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania, the tenth Island Class ferry was launched. Damen is constructing the vessels for BC Ferries. The Island Class ferries provide services connecting islands along Canada’s west coast.

The ferry is the final instalment in an order of four vessels. When delivered, these will complement six Island Class ferries Damen has delivered previously, making the Island Class the largest vessel class in BC Ferries’ fleet.

The Island Class vessels are designed to improve passenger comfort, reduce environmental impact, and increase vehicle capacity by 71% and passenger capacity by 135% on the routes they serve—equal to an additional 200 spaces for vehicles and 2,000 spaces for passengers.

Project Progress

Recently, the yard has reached a number of other milestones in the construction of the Island Class vessels. The eighth vessel began sea trials on February 23, 2026.…