[Source/Observer Network Qi Qian]

On June 10th local time, BC Ferries, the Canadian ferry operator, disclosed on its official website that the company has chosen a Chinese shipyard to build four large passenger ferries for its fleet. The new ferries will replace four old ships that are nearing retirement and are expected to be put into operation between 2029 and 2031.

According to the Canadian news agency and the National Post, this news immediately caused a stir and was politicized by some Canadian politicians, hyping up clichés such as "unfair trade" and "economic security." However, BC Ferries clearly stated in its statement that this decision was made after a "strict and independent" global bidding process and is a "wise" choice.

At the same time, Canadian industry insiders support BC Ferries' decision. A business leader in the country said that choosing a Chinese shipyard is a "very wise" decision that aligns with the best interests of the company's customers.

Canada BC Ferries Ferry, Canadian media

Reports said that many Canadian politicians publicly opposed BC Ferries' choice of a Chinese shipyard to build new ferries.

In the parliamentary questioning session on the 10th, Jeff Kiebler, a Conservative MP from the opposition party in Canada, questioned why BC Ferries used federal grants but did not buy vessels manufactured by Canadian companies. Canadian Federal Transport Minister Freeland responded that the company's ferry agreement was not a federal contract.

The Conservative Party of British Columbia, where BC Ferries is located, called on the provincial governor to cancel the contract and criticized the governor for abandoning Canadian workers. It was reported that BC Ferries is a private company, but its sole shareholder is the provincial government and it accepts public funding.

Provincial Transport Minister Mike Farnworth claimed that he was "concerned" about Chinese enterprises participating in Canadian procurement services and hyped up so-called "unfair tariffs" and "trade protectionism." Despite drawing a line, he ruled out the possibility of blocking this transaction, stating that "BC Ferries is an independent company responsible for its own operational decisions."

Farnworth added that he was "disappointed" there were not more Canadian shipyards involved in the BC Ferries contract. However, BC Ferries responded that no Canadian shipyard bid on this project.

While Canadian politicians were hyping up political issues and opposing the awarding of the contract to a Chinese enterprise, professionals and scholars in the country were not concerned.

Bruce Williams, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce in Canada, said that BC Ferries' choice of a Chinese enterprise was a "very wise" decision. He pointed out that this move aligns with the best interests of everyone who depends on BC Ferries, as the company needs more capacity to meet growing demand. He said, "So, this is very timely, and it's a good thing."

Williams continued to say that globally, few companies have the ability to build ships of this scale, and BC Ferries has consistently conducted due diligence throughout its global procurement process but has never received any bids from Canadian companies.

He also mentioned that he hoped to include a fifth ship in the contract to meet growing demand. "It's unfortunate that the fifth ferry has not been approved, but it's still good to see four ships, because our ferry fleet is aging." Previously, the independent BC Ferries Ferry Commission rejected the company's request to add a fifth large ship, stating that this was "neither necessary nor affordable."

Dan McGirr, a professor at the University of British Columbia, analyzed that BC Ferries may have been attracted by the "lower cost" advantage of Chinese shipyards and felt reassured about the construction capabilities of Chinese enterprises after evaluation. He said, "I think some European shipyards indeed have longer experience and higher quality reputations, but I also believe that Chinese shipyards do deliver products of reasonable quality."

BC Ferries announced a deal with a Chinese enterprise on its official website

According to the press release published on BC Ferries' official website, the company selected CMI Weihai Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (CMI Weihai) through a "strict" global procurement process, including open requests for proposals, comprehensive bid evaluations, international site inspections, and independent third-party background investigations, to build four new large vessels.

Nicolas Jimenez, CEO of BC Ferries, said that currently importing such vessels into Canada is tariff-free, and tariff disputes did not affect this decision. He said, "CMI Weihai leads the world in passenger ferry construction and shipbuilding. We made a wise choice based on the overall strength of its bid - including high-quality and safety standards, construction experience, and the mature capability to deliver safe and reliable ships on time."

"BC Ferries will send our own professional shipbuilding expert team to the shipyard during the entire construction process to provide continuous supervision and quality assurance," the company's Fleet Renewal Director stated in the statement. "We believe that CMI Weihai can meet our high requirements for safety and quality while creating great value for our customers and delivering the four ships on time."

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7514881914051658292/

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