BC Ferries has chosen a Chinese shipyard to build four new ferries for its passenger fleet, with its CEO saying he’s not worried about geopolitical tensions between Canada and China.
CEO Nicolas Jimenez says BC Ferries won’t release the cost of the contract with China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards, adding his primary focus was getting the province a good deal.
BC Ferries’ head of fleet renewal Ed Hooper says no Canadian companies bid on the ships that will carry about 52 per cent more passengers and 24 per cent more vehicles than the ferries they are replacing.
Jimenez says 60 per cent of the world’s ships are built in China, and BC Ferries did due diligence to make sure it understood the “technical and delivery and country risks associated with making this decision.”
He says there currently no tariffs associated with the import of vessels of this type into Canada and tariff disputes didn’t factor into the decision.
BC Ferries says it will have its own team of experts on-site at the shipyard throughout construction to provide oversight and quality assurance.
The first vessel is expected to come into service in 2029 with the others following in six-month intervals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.
Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press
