Thursday March 19, 2026 | VANCOUVER, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC Ferries has launched their 10th and final vessel in their current phase of Island Class shipbuilding.
The vessel is called the Island K’asa (pronounced KAH-sah) which means Otter. The name was gifted by the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, and was specifically chosen because the otter is a powerful guardian spirit that can navigate between the spirit and human world.
The launch occurred at at Damen Shipyards in Galați, Romania.
The Island K’asa is scheduled to provide service for the Campbell River-Quadra Island route starting in early 2027.
Launch moment:
The launch of a vessel marks the moment when it first enters the water.
The launch signals the transition into the final stages of outfitting, testing and preparation for delivery.
The milestone was commemorated with a ceremony attended by representatives from the ship builder, Damen Shipyards, and members of the BC Ferries team, including those working on-site at the shipyard to support construction and provide oversight of the vessels.
“Launching the final Island Class vessel is an important step in renewing our fleet and strengthening service for coastal communities,” said Nicolas Jimenez, President & CEO of BC Ferries, who attended the launch in Romania.
Island class vessels:
The new Island Class vessels are designed to improve passenger comfort, reduce environmental impact and increase vehicle capacity by 71% and passenger capacity by 135% across the routes they serve compared to 2019 levels of service.
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.
The Island Class vessels are part of BC Ferries’ long-term plan to renew its aging fleet and strengthen essential service for coastal communities, said BC Ferries in a news release today.
Four vessels that are already in operation:
- Island Gwawis [Pronounced: GWA-WIS]. Name gifted by the Na̲mg̲is First Nation in the Kwak̓wala language, meaning “Raven of the Sea” — entered service in 2022 and provides regular ferry service between Gabriola Island (Descanso Bay) and Nanaimo (Nanaimo Harbour)
- Island Kwigwis [Pronounced: QUEE-WEASE]. Name gifted by the G’Na̲mg̲is First Nation in the Kwak̓wala language, meaning “Eagle of the Sea” — entered service in 2022 and provides regular ferry service between Gabriola Island (Descanso Bay) and Nanaimo (Nanaimo Harbour).
- Island Nagalis [Pronounced: NAH-GAH-LEASE]. Name gifted by the We Wai Kum and Wei Wei Kai Nations in the Kwak̓wala, meaning “Dawn on the Land” – entered service in 2023 and provides regular ferry service between Campbell River – Quadra Island.
- Island K’ulut’a [Pronounced: Q-LUTA]. Name gifted by the We Wai Kum and Wei Wei Kai Nations in the Kwak̓wala, meaning “Porpoise” – entered service in 2023 and provides regular ferry service between Campbell River – Quadra Island.
“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,” says Jimenez.
“These vessels bring some really meaningful improvements for both customers and the environment,” said Ed Hooper, Head of Fleet Renewal at BC Ferries.
“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. 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,” said Hooper in today’s news release.
Coastal community service:
BC Ferries says it continues to strengthen ferry service for coastal communities with the launch of its 10th and final Island Class vessel.
Four new vessels in the Island Class program are set to enter service between Summer 2026 and early 2027.
Once all four vessels enter service, the Island Class will become BC Ferries’ largest vessel class, with 10 ships in operation.
Fleet renewal:
BC Ferries says that fleet renewal is a long-term, system-wide commitment driven by the recognition that demand for ferry travel continues to grow while many BC Ferries vessels and terminals are approaching the end of their operational lifespan.
With eight new vessels scheduled to enter service between 2026 and 2031, including these four Island Class vessels and four New Major Vessels, BC Ferries is moving ahead on the most transformative fleet renewal program in its history, focused on delivering safe, reliable, and environmentally responsible ferry service to coastal communities throughout British Columbia for decades to come.
The four New Major Vessels are being built in China, something which caused more than a minor political stir when that was first announced in June 2025.
===== BC Ferries Links:
Visit the BC Ferries website to learn more about fleet renewal and the Island Class shipbuilding program including the sacred names gifted to BC Ferries by Coastal First Nations.
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