Following a contest in which BC Ferries received more than 7,100 entries, a panel of judges has selected Salish Orca, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven as the names for its new intermediate class ferries currently under construction. Salish Orca will enter service on the Comox – Powell River route late next year. Salish Eagle and Salish Raven will begin operations in the Southern Gulf Islands in 2017.

A panel of 12 judges comprised of representatives from local media, Ferry Advisory Committee members and BC Ferries’ employees selected the three names after reviewing the entries submitted during the Name a Ferry contest that ran from May 19 through June 9, 2015. The names Salish Orca, Salish Eagle and Salish Raven were chosen to honour the Coast Salish people and the Salish Sea where these vessels will operate. To celebrate Salish culture, BC Ferries is working with the First Peoples’ Cultural Council to select Coast Salish artisans to design artwork for the exterior and interior of the vessels. BC Ferries anticipates beautiful designs that both preserve and advance Coast Salish culture.

The Salish Orca is scheduled to arrive in British Columbia in the late summer of 2016 and is expected to be in service replacing the 50-year old Queen of Burnaby on the Comox – Powell River route in the late 2016, following extensive crew training and familiarization. The Salish Eagle is scheduled to arrive in the fall of 2016 and will replace the 51-year old Queen of Nanaimo, sailing on the Tsawwassen – Southern Gulf Islands route. It is expected to commence service in early 2017. The Salish Raven is scheduled to arrive in the winter of 2017 and will also service the Southern Gulf Islands. It is expected to start service in the summer of 2017.