VICTORIA – China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards (CMI Weihai) has been selected to build four new major vessels for BC Ferries.
CMI Weihai has built passenger and vehicle vessels for large international operators including Stena RoRo of Sweden and Grimaldi Lines of Italy. Through its long-term partnership with Stena RoRo, CMI Weihai has built vessels for Canada’s Marine Atlantic ferry company and other major ferry operators such as Corsica Linea and Brittany Ferries of France. CMI Weihai’s work on a vessel for Marine Atlantic gives the shipyard direct experience meeting Transport Canada regulatory requirements.
“CMI Weihai is a global leader in passenger ferry construction, and shipbuilding more broadly,” says BC Ferries CEO Nicolas Jimenez. “It was the clear choice based on the overall strength of its bid, including its technical capabilities, high-quality and safety standards, ferry-building experience, proven ability to deliver safe, reliable vessels on dependable timelines, and the overall cost and value it delivers for our customers – all essential as we continue to experience growing demand and the urgent need to renew our aging fleet.”
Ed Hooper, Head of Fleet Renewal for BC Ferries, notes “BC Ferries will have our own professional team of shipbuilding experts onsite at the shipyard throughout construction to provide ongoing oversight and quality assurance.
“Our team inspected the CMI Weihai shipyard as part of the selection process, and the scale and scope of the operations was impressive. Safety is our highest value, and our in-person evaluations focused on safety management, quality systems, engineering capability, materials storage and handling, production facilities, environmental protection, and even the dedicated space for our on-site team, among other factors.”
The new vessels will replace four aging ships nearing the end of their service lives, each increasingly prone to mechanical issues and service disruptions. The NMVs are a cornerstone of BC Ferries’ long-term fleet renewal strategy, addressing the urgent need to modernize aging vessels and infrastructure, accommodate expected demand growth, and enhance overall system resilience.
Built with diesel-battery hybrid propulsion systems and designed with the capability to operate on full electric power in future, the NMVs are expected to improve fuel efficiency, and lower underwater radiated noise. The NMVs will offer more space for vehicles and passengers and upgraded amenities.
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.
Since 2016, BC Ferries has added 10 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 15 years.
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