Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards Group has been awarded a contract to construct two 81-metre ferries by Canadian ferry operator BC Ferries as part of ongoing fleet renewal programme.

BC Ferries operates 24 ferry routes along the coast of British Columbia, Canada. These new vessels will be able to cover many of the company’s routes to the Northern and Southern Gulf Islands off the coast of Vancouver, it added.

Part of a fleet renewal programme, the new ferries will replace the 59-year old North Island Princess and the 53-year old Quadra Queen II.

Damen initially submitted its vessel designs to BC Ferries in March 2016 in response to a Request for Expressions of Interest that the Canadian company issued to the international shipbuilding industry, said a statement.

After attracting interest from no less than 28 shipyards, the highly competitive tender process proceeded in October 2016 when short-listed companies – including five Canadian shipyards – were invited to submit their bids. Damen was selected as the subsequent winner of this tender process.

Both vessels will be constructed at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania and are expected to enter service in 2020. The 81-metre long design will have capacity to carry approximately 44 vehicles and up to 300 passengers and crew, it said.

Mark Wilson, vice president of engineering, BC Ferries, said: “This is a design-build, fixed-priced contract that provides us with substantial guarantees related to delivery dates, performance criteria, cost certainty and quality construction.”

“A key objective of our fleet renewal programme and the acquisition of these two minor class vessels is to achieve capital and operating cost savings and efficiencies through an overall class and standardisation strategy,” he said.

Damen Leo Postma, sales manager, Damen, said: “We are extremely proud to be constructing these two vessels for BC Ferries.”

“Furthermore, we are looking forward to further developing our existing relationship with BC Ferries by building safe, reliable high quality ferries contributing to BC Ferries’  vessel replacement programme,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service