Island class

Salish Heron left Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. in Gdansk, Poland today (Dec. 22).

Island 6, as it is temporarily named, departed Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania Oct. 11 on a 72-day transoceanic journey.

BC Ferries vessel Kwigwis will enter service next year as part of a two-ship operation on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route. 

The vessel, temporarily named Island 6, transited the Panama Canal on Nov. 18 — it departed a Romanian shipyard in October, according to a release from BC Ferries.

About one-third of the voyage from Romania was completed by using battery power with the main engines stopped, according to BC Ferries.

The vessel will enter service next year and will help provide two-ship service on the Nanaimo Harbour – Gabriola Island route.

Island Nagalis and Island K’ulut’a are the newest vessels to enter the fleet, allowing two-ship service to begin on the Campbell River–Quadra Island route next year.

The vessel departed Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania on May 19 on a 64 day, 10,700 nautical mile transatlantic journey to Vancouver Island.

BC Ferries said it expects the ship to arrive in B.C. by mid-August.

The yet-to-be named ferry will make the transatlantic voyage under its own power in approximately 60 days, depending on weather.