BC Ferries has concluded an agreement with Furuno (Japan) for the delivery of integrated navigation and communications systems for 4 new hybrid-electric ferries now under construction at China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Group for service on the coast of British Columbia.
The vessels form part of the operator’s wider fleet renewal programme and are scheduled to enter service between 2029 and 2031.
Note: Furuno Electric Co Ltd is a Japanese electronics company specializing in marine electronics, including radar systems, fish finders, and navigational instruments.
Each ferry will be fitted with fully redundant bridge stations positioned at both ends of the double-ended ferries, allowing operational flexibility on the busy coastal routes they are intended to serve. Around twenty multifunction workstations will integrate radar, Electronic Chart Display and Information System functions, conning information and alert management across both bridges.
Furuno's radar system will consist of 6 units, including two S-Band and four X-Band radars, intended to maintain vessel tracking and navigational awareness in varying weather conditions common to the Strait of Georgia. Navigation equipment will also include dual satellite compasses, speed logs and echo sounders, supported by redundant GPS and Automatic Identification System units. Communications capability will centre on dual Global Maritime Distress and Safety System consoles and four VHF radios.
Additional systems will include voyage data recorders, bridge navigational watch alarm arrangements, remote monitoring capability and cyber-protection functions. According to BC Ferries’ fleet renewal division, the systems were selected to provide bridge crews with enhanced situational awareness and operational redundancy suited to the demands of coastal service in confined waterways.
The new ships are being designed for eventual full-electric operation. Once introduced, they are expected to provide a 52% increase in passenger capacity and a 24% increase in vehicle capacity compared with the ships they will replace.
The new vessels are also part of a broader technological renewal programme for BC Ferries. Separate agreements announced earlier this year include propulsion and power systems supplied by ABB, alongside AI-enabled man-overboard detection technology from Zelim.