BC Ferries orders 4 ferries at CMI Weihai Shipyard

BC Ferries has selected China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards to build four New Major Vessels following a rigorous global procurement process that included a public Request for Proposals, comprehensive bid evaluations, international site visits, and independent third-party reference checks. Each vessel will be capable of carrying up to 2,100 passengers and 360 vehicles.

“CMI Weihai is a global leader in passenger ferry construction, and shipbuilding more broadly,” said Nicolas Jimenez, CEO of BC Ferries. “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.”

“BC Ferries will have our own professional team of shipbuilding experts onsite at the shipyard throughout construction to provide ongoing oversight and quality assurance,” said Ed Hooper, BC Ferries’ Head of Fleet Renewal. “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. We are confident that CMI Weihai will be able to meet our high expectations for safety and quality, while delivering tremendous value for our customers and on-time delivery of the four vessels.”