The Ministry of Tourism, Transport, Culture & Sport is pleased to announce that Bermuda’s two new Lloyd’s Classification (LCS) 500-passenger fast ferries will arrive on Tuesday, 28 October, aboard BBC Moonstone, a heavy-lift ship.
This milestone marks a major step forward in Bermuda’s commitment to modernising and strengthening its public transportation network. The Department of Marine and Ports Services, under the Ministry of Transport’s approved capital infrastructure plan, entered into a contract with Strategic Marine shipbuilders of Singapore for the construction of the two state-of-the-art ferries, which will replace the aging M/V Cecil Smith and M/V Warbaby Fox. These two new ferries will replace the current high-speed ferries that are powered by jet propulsion, which are extremely costly to operate and maintain. The two new fast ferries are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by about 25% when compared to the existing ferries on a passenger-mile basis and offer significant savings on operational costs.
The Hon. Owen Darrell, JP, MP, Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture & Sport, hailed the upcoming arrival as a proud moment for Bermuda, “This achievement reflects close collaboration between the Government of Bermuda, the Department of Marine and Ports Services, and Strategic Marine. It is particularly gratifying to note that this milestone project remains on schedule and on budget. The Bermuda project management team has worked diligently to ensure the success of this initiative. Both vessels meet the highest international standards for safety, efficiency, and operational excellence in Bermuda’s maritime environment.”
Minister Darrell emphasised the benefits the new ferries will bring. “The addition of these two fast ferries will enhance our capacity to accommodate larger cruise ships and provide increased passenger lift between Dockyard and Hamilton, as well as Dockyard and St. George’s. This will give the Town of St. George’s a welcome boost in visitor foot traffic and strengthen our public transport and cruise tourism network with safe, efficient, and sustainable service.”
The new catamaran ferries, each with a capacity of 550 passengers, feature modern design elements to enhance comfort, accessibility, and efficiency. They include designated wheelchair spaces, are Wi-Fi-ready, and are equipped with Shorelink digital fare media access points for seamless passenger service.
Residents and visitors are invited to witness this exciting moment as the heavy-lift ship carrying the ferries travels up the South Channel bound for Salt Kettle anchorage on 28 October 2025. The vessel’s arrival will be celebrated with a water cannon salute from the Tug Faithful and Tug Powerful. The BBC Moonstone estimate time to reach the South Channel is 4 p.m.
CITV will be livestreaming the arrival of the ferries tomorrow on the Government of Bermuda’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Following their offloading, the ferries will remain in Hamilton ferry berth for familiarisation, commissioning, and staff training provided by Strategic Marine as part of the project agreement.
An official Handover and Christening Ceremony will take place on Friday, 14 November 2025, followed by a special complimentary ferry rides for the public on Saturday, 15 November 2025. Details regarding departure times and locations will be announced closer to the date.
The Ministry looks forward to welcoming these modern vessels into service as a symbol of Bermuda’s continued investment in reliable, innovative, and world-class public transportation.