BC Ferries, the provincial ferry service known for its picturesque routes, has taken a significant detour in its quest to achieve provincial emission targets. Hopes of electrifying the entire Island Class fleet have been curtailed. Rooted in financial complications and funding deficits, the company’s ambitious Island Class Electrification Program (ICEP) is scaling down, impacting its ability to fully transition from current diesel-electric hybrid ferries to 100% battery-electric operations by 2025.
Initially, the plan sought comprehensive electrification that included retrofitting nine terminals serving four routes with rapid on-shore charging capabilities. This would’ve allowed for a swift exit from diesel-dependent operations. Nevertheless, the lack of adequate funding from the federal and provincial governments seems to have put a damper on these electrification dreams.
The stunted progress of the ICEP appears to have reached a standstill, with BC Ferries’ once fervent commitment to meet provincial mandates on emission reductions seemingly losing steam. Despite these setbacks, the ferry service still harbours hopes for partial electrification.
Brian Anderson, BC Ferries’ vice-president of strategy and community engagement, disclosed recently that efforts are underway to electrify four Island Class vessels, servicing routes between Nanaimo & Gabriola Island and Campbell River & Quadra Island. Although the BC Ferries board has consented to the reduced scope for electrification, approval from the Office of the BC Ferry Commissioner remains impending.
The corporation’s intent to purchase four additional Island Class vessels by 2028 is also on the cards. Given the circumstances, Anderson refrained from commenting on the timelines or overall costs linked to the planned electrification. He cited commercial sensitivities and ongoing procurement discussions as the reason why financial details of the ICEP remain under wraps.
However, disclosed details from BC Ferries’ electrification pitch to the federal government estimate a price tag of around $135 million to electrify all six Island Class vessels and their terminals. Such a project would likely curb 15,400 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, akin to taking 3,427 cars off the road, and would decrease air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, and particulate matter by 60 tonnes per year.
Despite releasing approximately 329,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions in the 2022 fiscal year, principally from fossil fuel-burning ships, BC Ferries is dedicated to cutting emissions by 27% by 2030 under the CleanBC plan. To date, the ferry service has only achieved a paltry 4% reduction since 2008, with any significant reductions primarily being the result of pandemic-induced service reductions.
In recent news, the provincial gov announced a $500-million one-time funding boost to BC Ferries, with the added aim of curbing fare spikes and supplementing fleet electrification. However, the details of this funding allocation remain as murky as the coastal waters, and as of now, BC Ferries has not released any information concerning interim reduction targets that could help meet their 2030 emissions goal.
