Washington State Ferries
Washington State Ferries News
Three Shipyards Expected to Compete for Washington State Ferries Vessel Construction Contracts
Three shipyards have expressed interest in building a long-awaited series of new hybrid-electric car and passenger vessels for Washington State Ferries (WSF).Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Wash.; Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Fla. and Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia have sent pre-qualification packages after WSF earlier this year invited shipbuilders to bid, Washington State Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary Steve Nevey…
Washington State Ferries Crew Rescues Boaters in Distress
Crewmembers aboard a Washington State Ferries vessel helped to rescue three boaters and a dog after their small vessel capsized near Bremerton, Wash.The crew aboard Jumbo-class ferry Walla Walla rescued a person and a dog near the Bremerton terminal Tuesday evening, according to WSF.The ferry crew treated the victim for hypothermia and chest pains before transferring care to emergency medical technicians on shore, the operator said.Two additional victims were saved by the U.S.
ABB Selected to Provide Propulsion for Washington State Ferries' New Hybrid Vessels
Washington State Ferries (WSF) has tapped ABB to design and supply the propulsion systems for its new series of five hybrid electric ferries. ABB was previously selected for the project in 2020 after the original build contract was awarded to Vigor, but the competitive bid process was relaunched following disagreements between WSF and the shipyard over price and other contract terms.In May of this year, WSF invited shipyards across the country to bid on construction for the five new ferries.
WSF Invites Bids to Convert Its Largest Ferries to Hybrid-electric Propulsion
Washington State Ferries (WSF) this week launched an invitation for bid to convert its three largest vessels to hybrid-electric propulsion.The conversion will remove two diesel generator sets from each of WSF's Jumbo Mark II ferries and replace them with batteries and associated support systems. The conversion will incorporate energy storage technology and rapid charging of the batteries from each…
Washington State Ferries' Cathlamet Repaired After Terminal Allision
A Washington State Ferries (WSF) vessel has been repaired after it allided into the Fauntleroy dock in Seattle last summer.Everett, Wash. repair yard Everett Ship Repair (ESR) served as the prime contractor for emergency repairs to WSF's Cathlamet, and it subcontracted sister-company Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) to construct a new steel pickle fork at its facility on Whidbey Island. A pickle…
Furuno Delivers Chart Radars for Washington State Ferries' Issaquah
Marine electronics company Furuno said it has delivered a suite of upgrade electronics for Washington State Ferries' Issaquah.Built in 1979, Issaquah received a newly upgraded helm featuring four Furuno FAR3220NXTBB Chart Radars, two on each end of the vessel. These Black Box, Solid-State Chart Radars provide enhanced target detection with a refined user interface and new, aerodynamic antennas, as well as a host of new and improved features…
Passenger Vessel Sector Faces Winding Path Back to ‘Normal’
The year just ended, 2021, might be described as being about “trying to get back to normal”, across the entire transportation spectrum, two years into the pandemic. During this time, the decarbonization and electrification waves have swept across maritime passenger transport. The passenger side of the business is dependent on multiple funding sources; increasingly, this money will be driven by environmental and social considerations.The long-awaited funding of “infrastructure”-related projects…
Washington State Ferries' Largest Vessel Enters Drydock
Washington State Ferries' (WSF) Jumbo Mark II class ferry Wenatchee, the largest in the WSF fleet, entered drydock at Everett Ship Repair, LLC (ESR) on November 10.The vessel is 460’ x 90’ with a docking displacement of 4675 LT. ESR’s drydock, the Faithful Servant has underwent improvements to expand its capabilities, and can now service vessels up to 460’ x 100’ with drafts up to 32’, including all…
ABB to Supply Hybrid-electric Propulsion for WSF Newbuilds
U.S. shipbuilding company Vigor has selected ABB to supply the hybrid-electric propulsion and energy storage systems for the newest additions to the Washington State Ferry fleet, setting the largest U.S. ferry system on course to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel use.The new Olympic Class ferries, each with a capacity of 144 cars and 1,500 passengers, with the planned addition of charging capability at terminals, would reduce fuel consumption by up to 95%.
Washington Gets Funds for Green Ferries
Washington State Ferries will begin the process of converting three Jumbo Mark II vessels from diesel to hybrid-electric power.The government agency that operates…
New Hybrid-Electric Ferry Program for WSF
Dignitaries from the state of Washington joined Governor Jay Inslee, Washington State Ferries officials and Vigor employees at Vigor’s Seattle shipyard to celebrate the beginning of the greening of WSF’s fleet. Speakers included Governor Inslee, Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation for Washington State Department of Transportation, and Vigor CEO Frank Foti. The ceremony concluded with a dedication…
WSF, Vigor Launch Hybrid-Electric Ferry Build Program
Dignitaries from the State of Washington joined Governor Jay Inslee, Washington State Ferries officials and Vigor Industrial employees yesterday (September 9) at Vigor’s Seattle, Washington shipyard to celebrate the launch of a new hybrid-electric ferry build program for the ferry operator. Speakers included Washington State Governor Jay Inslee; Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation for Washington State Department of Transportation; and Vigor’s CEO, Frank Foti.
