Canadian ferry operator, BC Ferries has now formally submitted a plan to build five new major vessels (NMVs) to the BC Ferries Commissioner.
If approved, this project would be the largest capital investment in the organisation’s history, increasing ferry capacity, resiliency, and reliability for BC’s coastal communities and economies, the ferry company said.
In 2024, BC Ferries recorded its highest peak season traffic since its inception, and with BC’s population continuing to rise, travel demands are mounting year-round.
The necessary retirement of ageing vessels means maintaining the status quo is no longer an option. The NMV project proposes to replace four ageing vessels and add one new vessel to the fleet, increasing critical space on the busiest routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island.
This will reduce waiting times and boost overall capacity by up to 28% for passengers and 19% for vehicles. The first of these vessels is expected to enter service in 2029, with five operational by 2031, BC Ferries said.
“BC Ferries is a marine highway, and we have a responsibility to provide reliable service to keep people and goods moving in British Columbia,” said Nicolas Jimenez, BC Ferries CEO.
“We’ve heard from our customers that our busiest routes are too often fully booked during peak travel times, leaving many without access to the sailings they need.
“Without the addition of these vessels on our major routes, we’ll be unable to keep pace with the rising population and it’ll create a real impact on the economies of coastal communities,” he said.
With global shipbuilding costs already rising over 40% in the past four years, delaying the procurement of these vessels would lead to significantly higher costs in the future, including for customers, the ferry company added.
The project costs were already partially included in BC Ferries’ last fare application and work will continue with the Province to balance affordability with a reliable service.
“The new major vessels project will enable BC Ferries to better serve the region and province by providing greater capacity on major routes with new larger vessels and operational flexibility to address current and future demands from businesses, travellers, and residents,” added Bridgitte Anderson, President and CEO, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
Without these new vessels, BC Ferries would continue to face escalating operational pressures, more frequent mechanical issues, and worsening capacity constraints.
In addition, the busiest routes would exceed capacity on every sailing during the peak season within the next decade, leading to longer wait times, customers being turned away and more frequent mechanical disruptions.
The additional capacity of the NMVs is projected to enable nearly 130,000 incremental tourists to travel through the region.
“Destination BC is actively working to inspire more travellers to discover more destinations who expect the provincial transportation infrastructure to support them through these journeys,” said Richard Porges, CEO, Destination British Columbia.
“For our strategy to succeed, it is critical that BC Ferries have the capacity to meet rising demand and deliver reliable, enjoyable service for all.”
The British Columbia Trucking Association has estimated that ferry cancellations, breakdowns, and delays can cost the commercial transport sector upwards of $100 mill per year, every dollar of which is passed on to consumers.
As demand increases, capacity constraints on the ferry system will have real, immediate, and growing consequences.
The first five NMVs are expected to enable an increase in commercial truck traffic that will see over $240 mill worth of additional cargo transported in 2035.
Introducing the first five NMVs will support 1,350 jobs in British Columbia, earning $87 mill in wages and generating $140 mill for the provincial economy, BC Ferries claimed.
