BC Ferries is spending nearly $60-million to repair, service and maintain 17 vessels in the coming months – and South Island shipyards stand to benefit.
The company typically schedules service to its fleet between September and March.
This year, local marine companies including Esquimalt Drydock, Esquimalt Graving Dock and Point Hope Shipyard have been contracted to complete upgrades to the fleet.
Other shipyards selected to perform the work include Vancouver Drydock, Allied Shipbuilders and BC Ferries' own Fleet Maintenance Unit, all located in the Lower Mainland.
"We’re serious about driving the BC marine economy, and the investment we make in the province for marine services, repair and maintenance is quite substantial,"
BC Ferries President and CEO Mark Collins said in a statement.
The company operates 36 vessels in total, which means nearly half will require maintenance between now and spring.
