The name, gifted by the Snuneymuxw First Nation in the hul'q'umi'num language, means "People at Nanaimo Harbour". According to BC Ferries, the name honours the Nation's connection to the waters where the vessel is scheduled to operate and reflects the significance of the Snuneymuxw Sarlequun Treaty of 1854.

ISLAND SARLEQUUN is the second of four new hybrid-electric Island Class vessels expected to enter service over the coming year. Once operational, it is scheduled to run alongside sister vessel ISLAND XWSALUXUL on the Nanaimo Harbour–Gabriola Island route, one of the operator's busiest interisland links. The vessel is expected to enter service in the coming weeks following crew training, replacing ISLAND GWAWIS, which is planned for redeployment to the Crofton–Vesuvius Bay route in early 2027.

The Island Class design is based on Damen's Road Ferry 8117 E3 platform. Each double-ended vessel measures 80.8 metres in length overall with a moulded beam of 17 metres, a draught of 3.30 metres and a gross tonnage of 2,277 GT. The ferries offer capacity for 47 vehicles and up to 392 passengers and crew, depending on crewing levels, with parking arranged across a main car deck and a side gallery deck. Propulsion is provided by a diesel-electric hybrid system with a battery energy storage capacity of 2,000 kWh, giving a service speed of 14 knots.

The four newest units are the first in the BC Ferries fleet capable of operating fully on electric power once shore-based charging infrastructure is in place. Work to electrify the Nanaimo Harbour route has begun and is expected to be completed in 2027. The vessels have also been modified during construction to reduce underwater radiated noise, in line with the operator's underwater management plan aimed at limiting impacts on marine life, including the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale.

The four-vessel order was awarded to Damen in January 2024, extending a series that now totals ten Island Class ferries built at the Gala?i yard. The programme forms part of BC Ferries' long-term fleet renewal, intended to improve reliability, increase capacity and standardise the fleet for greater operational flexibility.

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