BC Ferries has the largest fleet of vehicle ferry vessels in the world. There are at least 45 vessels, ranging from small passenger-only water taxis, up to the 358-car Spirit-class ferries. All of the vessels in use by BC Ferries official routes are roll-on/roll-off car ferries, with the exception of those used on Route 13. Most of the major vessels are based on similar designs, which are aggregated into named classes.
Since the 1960s, BC Ferries has retired the following ferries:
BC Ferries has plans to retire the Queen of New Westminster as well as the five C-class vessels, starting in 2029. These will be replaced by up to seven of the "New Major Vessel" ships.
In 2019, BC started a $200 million program to acquire four hybrid/electric ferries (800 kWh each) to service three routes. As for the remaining seven vessels within the 12-year capital plan, they will all be large ships, which will replace six aging ships and provide one additional vessel to support growth and improve resiliency. Marshall says the first of these new large ships will enter service in 2029.