VICTORIA -- A timelapse video of Victoria's Inner Harbour shows BC Ferries' new hybrid-electric vessels travelling from Ogden Point to Point Hope Maritime Friday morning.
The "Island Class" vessels spent a number of days at the Breakwater District at Ogden Point to undergo final preparations and inspections before moving to Point Hope Maritime.
At Point Hope Maritime, BC Ferries will complete a re-commissioning of the ships and conduct final inspections and test runs of all of the vessels' systems.
Following that process, BC Ferries will finally take official ownership of the two ships. The ships will then be christened and crews will begin onboard training.
The Island Class ferries are equipped with powerful batteries and hybrid technology to act as hybrid vessels until shore charging infrastructure is in place to support fully electric operation. BC Ferries says the vessels' batteries will reduce emission and lessen the impact of underwater noise.
Both Island Class ferries can carry up to 300 passengers and 47 vehicles and are slated to enter service along the Powell River-Texada Island and Port McNeill-Alert Bay-Sointula routes.
While BC Ferries says that the vessels are expected to enter service in mid-2020, a spokesperson told CTV News that the ships could be sailing by the end of February.
Meanwhile, BC Ferries has already ordered four more Island Class ships from the Netherlands-based Damen Shipyards, which built the first two.
The next four ships are expected to enter service in 2022.
