Four Island Class ferries are on order and by 2027 should bring the BC Ferry hybrid fleet total to ten.
BC ferries believe that by limiting the various classes of ships to now adopting and ordering vessels of the same type, they will enjoy greater flexibility as they can move the ships around various routes and terminals, as demand requires.
Unexpected mechanical issues that are the bain of every ferry company everywhere, and which this past year have plagued BC Ferries, should be diminished with the arrival of the new ships and their ability to move from one route to cover another, should the need arise.
New ferries are expensive but procrastinating new builds only increases the cost.
By ensuring that there are enough ships to enable one vessel to be substituted for another when the unexpected inevitably happens, is the very best way to provide the kind of service ferry travellers both expect & demand.
Kudos to BC Ferries !