New hybrid-electric BC Ferries vessels gifted hul’q’umi’num’ names

A hybrid-electric Island Class BC Ferries vessels is seen in a handout image.

Two new hybrid-electric BC Ferries vessels will bear names in the hul’q’umi’num’ language, the company announced Tuesday.

BC Ferries said the names of the Island Class ships—which are expected to launch in 2027—were gifted by the Snuneymuxw First Nation, and honour members’ connections to the lands and waters of their territories.

One will be named Island xwsaĺux̌ul, meaning “grassy place,” where the Snuneymuxw Sarlequun Treaty of 1854 was signed.

The other will be named Island sarlequun, meaning “people at Nanaimo Harbour,” referring to the first peoples of the Snuneymuxw.

Pronunciation guides for both names, with audio recordings provided by the Snuneymuxw First Nation, are available on the BC Ferries website.

“The names we are gifting hold immense strength and offer a sense of belonging to all who board and sail these new vessels,” said Snuneymuxw Chief Mike Wyse, in a statement. “We look forward to expanding our collaborative efforts with BC Ferries, recognizing that this is just one part of our shared commitment to meaningful partnership.”

Once they launch, the two vessels will service route 19 between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island.

All of BC Ferries’ battery-equipped Island Class ships will be “capable of full electric operations once shoreside charging infrastructure becomes available,” according to the company’s website.