New Campbell River-Quadra Island ferry marks milestone at shipyards in Romania
Published 12:00 pm Tuesday, March 24, 2026
BC Ferries announced that its tenth and final Island Class vessel, the Island K’asa, has begun the final outfitting and testing phase at Damen Shipyards in Romania before it is set to begin service in B.C. next year.
The vessel is scheduled to provide service between Campbell River-Quadra Island starting in early 2027.
Island K’asa (pronounced KAH-sah), meaning Otter, was named by the Wei Wai Kum First Nation. It symbolizes the otter as a powerful guardian spirit that navigates between the spirit and human worlds.
“Launching the final Island Class vessel is an important step in renewing our fleet and strengthening service for coastal communities,” said Nicolas Jimenez, President and CEO of BC Ferries, who attended the launch in Romania, in a media release. “These vessels add space for more passengers and vehicles while helping us replace aging ships with modern, more efficient ones. That’s essential to keeping ferry service reliable for the people and communities who depend on it every day.”
A launch occurs when a vessel first enters the water, marking the start of final outfitting and testing before delivery, according to BC Ferries. A ceremony celebrated this launch milestone, attended by representatives from Damen Shipyards and the BC Ferries team involved in construction oversight.
Across the routes they serve, BC Ferries said the Island Class vessels are expected to collectively deliver a 71 per cent increase in vehicle capacity and a 135 per cent increase in passenger capacity, compared to 2019.
This represents space for nearly 200 additional vehicles and over 2,000 additional passengers, improving access for people commuting for work, visiting family and accessing essential services.
“When compared to our older vessels, we believe that our passengers will notice and appreciate the more comfortable lounges and larger outdoor spaces on our new Island Class vessels, while behind the scenes, the hybrid-electric propulsion and updated hull are designed to reduce emissions, underwater radiated noise and vessel wake,” said Ed Hooper, Head of Fleet Renewal at BC Ferries. “They’re also designed so we can operate on electric power once shore-charging infrastructure is in place, which we expect will help us move toward a cleaner and more efficient ferry system.”
BC Ferries said it is launching a transformative fleet renewal program with eight new vessels set to enter service from 2026 to 2031. This includes four Island Class vessels and four New Major Vessels, aiming to provide safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible ferry service to British Columbia’s coastal communities for years to come.