MV Island K'ulut'a
The M/V Island K'ulut'a is the fourth vessel in the Island Class Ferry series, owned and operated by BC Ferries. Built by Damen Shipyards in 2020, this vessel is part of the second phase of Island Class vessels. The K'ulut'a was launched as Island 4 on December 17, 2020. It departed Galați, Romania, on June 9, 2021, and completed the voyage to Victoria, British Columbia under its own power on August 13, 2021.[1] On August 23, Island 4 was christened with its sister ship Island Nagalis and renamed Island K'ulut'a by BC Ferries Crewing Advisor Jennifer Thacker and June Johnson from the We Wai Kai First Nation. K'ulut'a means "porpoise" in the Kwakwaka'wakw indigenous language.[2]
Service History
Island K'ulut'a has yet to officially be entered into service. It was previously scheduled to begin sailing on the Campbell River - Quadra Island route in the spring of 2022, but has now been tentatively delayed to the fall. The vessel briefly replaced the Island Discovery on the Texada Island route and the Island Aurora on the Port McNeill tri-route, but remains at BC Ferries Deas Dock.