Bc Ferries names four Summit-class vessels, explores mobile ordering
bc ferries has formally named its four new major vessels the Summit-class fleet and is planning technology for onboard food service on the future ships. Melanie Lucia, vice president of customer experience, said the renewal is meant to improve the customer experience as the company prepares the next generation of its largest vessels.
The four ships are Summit Arbutus, Summit Cedar, Summit Maple and Summit Spruce. BC Ferries is also issuing a Request for Proposals for providers that can support ordering systems, payment processing, kitchen coordination and retail management tools.
Melanie Lucia on fleet renewal
Lucia said, "Fleet renewal is about more than replacing vessels — it’s an opportunity to thoughtfully advance and improve the overall customer experience for the future". She added that as BC Ferries introduces a new class of major vessels, it is looking at how onboard spaces, services and technology may evolve alongside customer expectations and the needs of a busy coastal transportation system.
She said, "As we introduce a new class of major vessels, we’re looking at how onboard spaces, services and technology may evolve alongside customer expectations and the needs of a busy coastal transportation system. While this work is initially focused on our new major vessels, it may also help inform future decisions about how technology and service approaches could continue evolving across the broader fleet over time."
Summit-class capacity and routes
The Summit-class ships are being built to carry up to 2,100 passengers and crew, plus 358 cars and 34 semi trucks. BC Ferries says the new vessels will be the largest in its fleet, exceeding the size of the existing Spirit-class ships, and will serve major routes linking Metro Vancouver with Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast.
The company is exploring touchscreen ordering kiosks, mobile ordering options, improved pickup systems and stronger links between customer orders and food preparation. Those changes would affect future food-service and retail operations on the new ships, including how passengers place orders and how crews coordinate them on board.
Fall 2026 to 2031
Construction of the four New Major Vessels is scheduled to begin in a Mainland China shipyard in Fall 2026. The first Summit-class ship is scheduled to enter service in 2029, and the last ship is expected to be ready by 2031.
For travelers who use those routes, the practical change is coming in stages: the names are set now, the technology is being solicited now, and the new ships will arrive later with more room for passengers, cars and semi trucks than the fleet they are meant to replace.
