BC Ferries has the largest fleet of vehicle ferry vessels in the world. There are at least 45 vessels, ranging from small passenger-only water taxis, up to the 358-car Spirit-class ferries. All of the vessels in use by BC Ferries are roll-on/roll-off car ferries. Most of the major vessels are based on similar designs, which are aggregated into classes of ferries.
| Photo | Name | Class | Year built (Rebuilt) | Auto capacity | Passenger capacity | Notes | Route(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 47 | 300 | Hybrid diesel-electric; Entered service on April 12, 2022 | 19 | ||||
| 2021 | 47 | 300 | Hybrid diesel-electric; Entered service on April 12, 2022 | 19 | ||||
| 2020 | 47 | 300 | Hybrid diesel-electric; Entered service on January 17, 2023 | 23 | ||||
| 2020 | 47 | 300 | Hybrid diesel-electric; Entered service on January 18, 2023 | 23 | ||||
| 2017–2019 | 47 | 300 | Hybrid diesel-electric; Entered service on June 18, 2020[1] | 25 | ||||
| 2017–2019 | 47 | 300 | Hybrid diesel-electric; Entered service on June 10, 2020 | 18 | ||||
| 2020 | 138 | 600 | Entered service on May 6, 2022. | 9 (primary) 5, 17 (relief) 1 (relief in exigent circumstances) | ||||
| 2016 | 138 | 600 | Entered service in mid-2017. | 5, 9, 9A, 17, 18 (rotating relief vessel) | ||||
| 2016 | 138 | 600 | Entered service on July 27, 2017. | 9 (primary) 5, 17 (relief) | ||||
| 2016 | 138 | 600 | Entered service on May 16, 2017. | 17 (primary) 9 (relief) | ||||
| 2015 | 45 | 150 | First and only cable ferry owned by BC Ferries and world's longest cable ferry. Entered service in February 2016. | 21 | ||||
| 2009 | 115 | 600 | Entered service on May 18, 2009. | 10 (fall, winter) 11 (summer, fall, winter) | ||||
| 2007 | 310 | 1604 | Formerly the world's largest double-ended ferries. Built in Germany. Entered service on November 21, 2008. | 1 30 (relief) | ||||
| 2007 | 310 | 1604 | Formerly the world's largest double-ended ferries. Built in Germany. Entered service on June 16, 2008. | 30 1 (relief) | ||||
| 2007 | 310 | 1604 | Formerly the world's largest double-ended ferries. Built in Germany. Entered service on March 8, 2008. | 2 1 (relief) | ||||
| 2004 | 87 | 600 | Purchased in late-2006 to replace the sunken . | 10 (spring, summer) 11 (spring) | ||||
| 2000 | 35 | 150 | Purchased in 2017.[2] | 28A (year round) 28 (summer) | ||||
| 1997 | 92 | 600 | Entered service in 1997. | 4 | ||||
| 1994 (2018–2019) | 358 | 2100 | Converted to marine diesel and LNG in 2018. Entered service in 1994.[3] | 1 | ||||
| 1993 (2017–2018) | 358 | 2100 | Converted to marine diesel and LNG between 2017 and 2018. Entered service in 1992.[4] | 1 | ||||
| 2008 | 112 | 450 | Entered service in February 2009. Vessel was formerly known as Island Sky, and was renamed to avoid confusion with the Island-class ferries as part of BC Ferries fleet standardization initiative, on October 24, 2019.[5] | 7 | ||||
| 1992 (2016) | 112 | 462 | Entered service in late 1992. | 5 4, 7, 8 (relief) | ||||
| 1991 (2015) | 100 | 462 | Auto capacity increased from 85 in 2015. Entered service in June 1991. | 8 | ||||
| Q | 1982 (2010) | 63 | 400 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985. | 6 | |||
| Q | 1977 (2008) | 44 | 394 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985. | 22 (summer, relief other times) 6, 19, 21 (relief) | |||
| 1981 (2005) | 308 | 1494 | Entered service in 1981. | 2 | ||||
| 1981 (2006) | 308 | 1494 | Entered service in 1981. | 3 (year round) 2 (fall, winter) | ||||
| 1976 (2003) | 316 | 1494 | Entered service in 1976. | 2 (spring, relief) 3 (spring, summer/relief) | ||||
| 1976 (2004) | 312 | 1494 | Entered service in 1976. | 2 (year round) 3 (fall, winter) | ||||
| 1976 (1984/2007) | 280 | 1200 | Upper car deck added in 1984. Entered service in 1976. | 30 (all other times based out of Tsawwassen as main vessel), (secondary out of Nanaimo in summer, based out of Departure Bay) 2 & 3 (after Labour Day weekend to Canadian Thanksgiving weekend) | ||||
| 1985 (2006) | 26 | 269 | Purchased in 2006. Vessel was formerly known as Kuper, and was renamed in the spirit of reconciliation, on December 1, 2023.[6] | 20 | ||||
| 1975 | 16 | 154 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985. | 26 | ||||
| 1973 | 21 | 200 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985. | 21 (summer) 22 (spring, fall, winter) 12, 20 (relief) | ||||
| 1972 | 19 | 195 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985. | 12 | ||||
| 1969 (2010) | 26 | 293 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985. | relief on routes 24 & 25 | ||||
| 1969 (2011) | 26 | 243 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985. | 24 | ||||
| None | 1964 (1973/ 1991/ 2009) | 254 | 1332 | Originally a when built. Entered service on August 4, 1964. | 1 30 (If either Queen of Alberni or other Coastal-class vessels are unavailable) | |||
| (also known as Spirit of Lax Kw' alaams) | 1960 | 16 | 133 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985 Owned by but not operated by BC Ferries. | Unnumbered Route (Operated by the Lax Kw'alaams First Nation). | |||
| None | n/k | 0 | 40 | Owned and operated by Kona Winds Yacht Charters Limited, under the sponsorship of and out of the Langdale terminal of BC Ferries, since 2003. | 13 (Operated by Kona Winds Yacht Charters Ltd). | |||
| None | n/k | 0 | 40 | Owned and operated by Kona Winds Yacht Charters Limited, under the sponsorship of and out of the Langdale terminal of BC Ferries, since 2010. | 13 (Operated by Kona Winds Yacht Charters Ltd). | |||
| None | 1985 | 0 | 60 | Owned and operated by Western Pacific Marine, under the sponsorship of BC Ferries, and out of Western Pacific Marine's French Creek Terminal, since 2011. | 55 (Operated by Pacific Western Marine Ltd). | |||
| None | n/k | 0 | n/k | Owned and operated by Western Pacific Marine, as a water taxi/school trip ferry, under the sponsorship of Ferries. | 25u (Operated by Western Pacific Marine Ltd). | |||
| None | 1942 | 0 | 100 | Owned and operated by Get West Adventure Cruises, under the sponsorship of Ferries. | 53 (Operated by Get West Adventure Cruises). | |||
| None | 1958 | 0 | 200 | Owned and operated by Lady Rose Marine Services, under the sponsorship of Ferries. | 59 (Operated by Lady Rose Marine Services). | |||
| None | n/k | 0 | n/k | Owned by the communities of Kitkatla, Hartley Bay, and Metlakatla. Operated by the Gitxaala First Nation, under the sponsorship of BC Ferries. | 60 (Operated by the Gitxaala First Nation). | |||
| Various vessels | None | n/k | 0 | n/k | Operated by various water taxis, under the sponsorship of BC Ferries. | 51 (Operated by various water taxis). | ||
| Various vessels | None | n/k | 0 | 11-100 | Operated by West Coast Launch, under the sponsorship of BC Ferries. | 54 (Operated by West Coast Launch). |
Since the 1960s, BC Ferries has retired the following ferries:[7]
| Photo | Name | Class | Built (rebuilt) | Years in service | Auto capacity | Passenger capacity | Notes | Refs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 1961-1963 | 35 | 600 | Acquired in Black Ball purchase | [8] | ||||
| 1946 | 1961-1966 | 46 | 473 | Acquired in Black Ball purchase; named Scotian when built | [9] | ||||
| 1928 | 1961-1966 | 45 | 600 | Acquired in Black Ball purchase, formerly named Bainbridge | [10] | ||||
| 1925 | 1961-1966 | 18 | 134 | Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase, previously named Fox Island and Wollochet | [11] | ||||
| 1913 (1930) | 1961-1966 | 18 | 135 | Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase; formerly named Island Princess and Daily | [12] | ||||
| 1952 | 1967-1976 | 180+ | 973 | Originally named Vacationland and later Père Nouvel Sank while being towed for scrap December 3, 1987 | |||||
| 1947 | 1961-1976 | 83 | 670 | Acquired in Black Ball purchase, originally named Chinook | [13] | ||||
| 1903 (1919/1926/1952) | 1961-1976 | 80 | 600 | Acquired in Black Ball purchase, formerly named Kahloke, City of Sacramento, and Asbury Park; scrapped in 2009 | [14] | ||||
| 1969 | 1969-1979 | 0 | 30 | ||||||
| None | 1979 (1985) | 1979-2003 | 0 | 38 | Received an engine upgrade in 1985 | ||||
| 1923 (1956) | 1961-1980 | 40 | 250 | Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase, formerly named Motor Princess. Sunk and scrapped in 2003 | [15] | ||||
| Princess class | 1955 | 1985-1987 | 150 | 984 | Formerly part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' saltwater ferry fleet and the Canadian Pacific Railway | ||||
| 1963 | 1963-1991 | 40 | 400 | Sold in 1991, permanently moored in Mosquito Creek Marina in North Vancouver since 2009 | |||||
| 1949 | 1961-1996 | 36 | 187 | Acquired in Gulf Island Ferry Company purchase, formerly named Delta Princess. Sold and renamed Golden Queen. | |||||
| 1950 | 1962-1998 | 35 | 184 | Originally named Lloyd Jones and sailed on Okanagan Lake, sold to R & G Importadora & Exportadora of the Dominican Republic in 1998 | [16] | ||||
| 1960 | 1960-2000 | 138 | 989 | First vessel built by BC Ferries, abandoned in 2000 | |||||
| 1962 (1970/1981) | 1962-2000 | 286 | 1360 | Stretched in 1970, upper deck added in 1981 to increase capacity; sold to R & G Importadora & Exportadora of the Dominican Republic in 2001 | [17] | ||||
| 1998 | 1998-2000 | 235 | 1000 | Video documentary filmed about the ship's construction | |||||
| 1999 | 1999-2000 | 235 | 1000 | ||||||
| 2000 | 235 | 1000 | Would have entered service in 2000 | ||||||
| 1961 | 1985-2002 | 16 | 133 | Formerly part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' saltwater ferry fleet | |||||
| MV Garibaldi II | N | 1964 (1977) | 1985-2006 | Originally 16, later reduced to 7 | 133+ | Formerly part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' saltwater ferry fleet, sold to Harbour Cruises via Woodfibre Pulp Mill in 2006. Listed for sale on Craigslist in 2020.[18] | |||
| 1969 | 1974-2006 | 115 | 650 | Purchased from Stena Line in 1974; formerly named Queen of Surrey and Stena Danica; sank in Wright Sound on March 22, 2006 | |||||
| 1963 (1969/1982) | 1963-2008 | 376 | 1630 | Stretched in 1969, upper deck added in 1982 to increase capacity | [19] | ||||
| 1960 | 1960-2008 | 128 | 640 | [20] | |||||
| 1962 (1972/1982) | 1962-2008 | 360 | 1672 | Stretched in 1972, upper deck added in 1982 to increase capacity | |||||
| 1962 (1972/1981) | 1962-2009 | 338 | 1670 | Stretched in 1972, upper deck added in 1981 to increase capacity | [21] | ||||
| None | 1965 | 1965-2009 | 80 | 510 | |||||
| 1956 | 1969-2011 | 16 | 136 | Acquired in 1969 purchase of Coast Ferries | |||||
| 1978 | 1991-2015 | 115 | 400 | Acquired by Goundar Shipping in 2015 | |||||
| 1964 | 1985-2016 | 24 | 244 | Acquired by Lady Rose Marine Services in 2016 | |||||
| 1965 (1972) | 1965-1994; 2000-2017 | 168 | 904 | Stretched in 1972 to increase capacity | |||||
| 1964 (1974) | 1964-2017 | 164 | 1163 | Stretched in 1974 to increase capacity | |||||
| 1964 | 1971-2019 | 52 | 300 | Purchased in 1971. Sold at an auction for in 2019 | [22] | ||||
| 1973 | 1985-2020 | 12 | 95 | Transferred to BC Ferries in 1985 | |||||
| 1958 (1971) | 1969-1977; 1985-2020 | 38 | 150 | Acquired in 1969 purchase of Coast Ferries; Transferred to Ministry of Transportation & Highways in 1977 and back to BC Ferries in 1985; currently for sale. | [23] [24] | ||||
| Powell River | 1965 (1979) | 1965-2022 | 61 | 400 | Stretched in 1979 to increase capacity | ||||
| MV Mayne Queen | Powell River | 1965 (1979) | 1965-2022 | 58 | 400 | Stretched in 1979 to increase capacity. Last full day of service on route 5 was November 19, 2022. | |||
| MV Powell River Queen | Powell River | 1965 (1979) | 1965-2023 | 59 | 408 | Stretched in 1979 to increase capacity. Currently for sale. |
BC Ferries has plans to retire the Queen of New Westminster as well as the five C-class vessels, starting in 2029. These will be replaced by up to seven of the "New Major Vessel" ships.[25]
In 2019, BC started a $200 million program to acquire four hybrid/electric ferries (800 kWh each) to service three routes.[26] As for the remaining seven vessels within the 12-year capital plan, they will all be large ships, which will replace six aging ships and provide one additional vessel to support growth and improve resiliency. Marshall says the first of these new large ships will enter service in 2029.[27]
| Photo | Name | Class | Year built (Rebuilt) | Auto capacity | Passenger capacity | Notes | Route(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All four ships will be identical to the existing Island-class vessels (see above). | Island class 2nd Batch | 47 | 400 | Four BC-built ships which are hybrid electric-powered, with the ability to convert to full-electric propulsion, once shore-based charging technology is available for implementation. These vessels are expected to serve routes connecting Vancouver Island to Saltspring Island, Denman Island to Hornby Island, as well as Quadra Island to Cortes Island. This would also allow for the retirement of the two remaining vessels.[28] | 24, 22, 6, and 1 relief vessel | |||
| New Major Vessel | 2029–2035 | ~ 360 | ~ 2,100 | The New Major Vessel class, introduced on February 26, 2024, will consist of at least seven double-ended ships. As with the Island class vessels, the New Major Vessels will be hybrid electric-powered, with the ability to convert to full-electric propulsion, once shore-based charging technology is available for implementation. These vessels are expected to serve the three major routes connecting Vancouver Island and the lower mainland, and would allow for the retirement of the, as well as the five vessels. The ships were designed in collaboration with LMG Marin, a Norwegian engineering services company.[29] BC Ferries commenced the bidding process to find a shipyard to build the vessels, in November 2023, with the contract expected to be awarded by December 2024.[30] | 1, 2, 3, 30, and 1 relief vessel |