Latest news with #WashingtonStateFerries
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bids to build new plug-in Washington state ferries come in high
Washington State Ferries said it would deploy its new electric ferries first on the Mukilteo-Clinton run. The short route is currently served by diesel ferries like the Tokitae, seen here approaching Whidbey Island. (Photo by Tom Banse) Ferry system managers and state budget writers in Washington took a cold wave over the bow Monday upon opening the bids to construct up to five new hybrid electric ferries. 'I don't see how you get to five. There's money for three on a good day,' said state House Transportation Committee Chair Jake Fey, D-Tacoma. The Washington Legislature previously set aside about $1.3 billion to build new ferries and charging infrastructure over the next six to eight years. New vessels are overdue to stabilize the state's aging and sometimes unreliable ferry fleet. Simultaneously, the ferry system and the state's Democratic leadership want to reduce the ferries' air pollution footprint by switching to battery propulsion as much as possible. Eastern Shipbuilding Group of Panama City, Florida, submitted the low bid for the state's desired plug-in hybrid, 160-car vessels, according to a summary of the bids posted by WSF late on Monday. The $251 million price tag for the first ferry in the series was roughly in line with the state engineer's in-house estimate. Nichols Brothers Boat Builders on Whidbey Island submitted a competing bid that was considerably higher, even after including a 13% bid credit authorized by the Legislature to incentivize home state construction. Neither bid includes the expensive hybrid electric powertrains for the new ferries, which the state plans to acquire separately. A third shipbuilder, Philly Shipyard, was expected to submit a bid, but didn't in the end. The Nichols Brothers and Eastern Shipbuilding Group bids both include escalator clauses that Fey predicted 'will invariably make it (the price) go up.' The escalators allow the shipyards to charge more in case of unpredictable cost increases, such as on steel or from tariffs. Washington State Ferries said in a mass email to interested parties that it will evaluate the bid documents in greater detail for the next few weeks before awarding a contract. The agency will undoubtedly also consult further with the governor's office and key legislators about what is affordable. The most recent date given for delivery of the first new ferry was 2029. 'First things first, I need to understand exactly what we've got with the bids,' Gov. Bob Ferguson said Monday after an initial, high-level briefing. Ferguson declined to speculate more before getting additional information. Fey said he expects to discuss where more money could potentially be found. The veteran legislator said multiple currents in the bid environment drove up costs, including rising raw material prices, tariffs and limited shipyard competition – even though the ferry system's request for bids was opened to shipyards nationwide. A Democratic legislator from ferry-served Bainbridge Island, Rep. Greg Nance, said he was struck by how Washington's procurement was affected by the hollowing out of the nation's shipbuilding industry. He was pleased there was more than one bidder. 'Given the state of shipbuilding writ large, we knew that we were swimming upstream,' Nance said in an interview Monday. 'We need to do more to support shipbuilding. We've lost our shipbuilding edge over the past 50 years.' The 144-car Suquamish was the most recent of the workhorse Olympic-class ferries upon which the new plug-in ferry design is based. The diesel-powered Suquamish was delivered to WSF in 2018 at a cost of about $122 million. Debate about how to proceed with further vessel acquisitions in that size class has stretched from then until now. During this dickering, the state pivoted to electrification, costs shot up and the reliability of the existing aging fleet went down. The bid request published by WSF included the high-level design for a plug-in ferry capable of carrying up to 160 cars and 1,500 passengers. Drawings show boats that resemble a slightly elongated version of the diesel-powered Olympic class ferries delivered between 2014 and 2018. However, the new design has just one passenger deck stacked on top of the two auto decks. The center of the ship's hold will be packed with racks of water-cooled rechargeable batteries so the ferry can sail fully on electric power most of the time. The engine room will also feature twin diesel generators as a backup source of propulsion power. Assuming they use green electricity to charge, the new ferries should achieve a large reduction in fuel consumption and an associated reduction in global warming emissions. WSF tentatively plans to deploy the new ferries to the Mukilteo-Clinton run first, probably followed by the Seattle-Bremerton route. Republicans, who are in the minority in the Legislature, have pushed for a cheaper diesel ferry option to be put back on the table. WSF leaders have been consistent in warning against reverting to conventional diesel power because that would necessitate a lengthy redesign and re-bid. 'If we were to switch now to go to diesel, we would have to stop what we're doing with the hybrid, design a new diesel boat and lose the funding from the Climate Commitment Act,' deputy WSF boss John Vezina said under questioning from state Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Pierce County, at a Senate hearing in March. 'It would probably add two years to the acquisition of those new vessels.' BC Ferries has also been in the market for new car ferries and has been able to acquire new vessels at far lower cost than its Seattle-based neighbors. Unlike Washington State Ferries, BC Ferries can solicit bids from shipyards worldwide. The newest additions to the province's fleet were built in Romania. Building ferries to serve domestic U.S. routes at a foreign shipyard is prohibited under a century-old federal law known as the Jones Act. Of late, the Trump administration and a bipartisan contingent of lawmakers in Congress have highlighted the need to make the American shipbuilding industry more competitive. But President Donald Trump's recent statements on the matter make no mention of jettisoning the longstanding made-in-America requirements. Washington State Ferries currently has 21 vessels of various sizes and ages in its fleet, making it the largest public ferry system in the nation. The WSF long-range plan contains a goal to grow to 26 ferries to provide reliable service on every route, with allowances for maintenance tie-ups and a vessel in reserve. The hefty bids come just as it seemed the agency was sailing into smoother waters. This summer, the ferry system will get nearly back to operating its full pre-pandemic schedule, missing only a second boat on the Port Townsend-Coupeville run during midweeks and the long-suspended international crossing to Sidney, B.C. Last week's generally celebratory blog post about the summer schedule cautioned that peak-season crewing will be stretched close to the limit. Blog author Bryn Hunter said it will be challenging to find a short-term replacement whenever an aging vessel breaks down. 'I wouldn't let this be a Debbie Downer,' Rep. Fey concluded at the end of his initial construction bid analysis. 'There's been great progress made by the ferry system over the past four years.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington State Ferries return to almost full service. What does that mean?
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways It'll be smoother sailing for ferry passengers this summer. Washington State Ferries says it's returning to almost full domestic service – three years earlier than planned. What's changing and when? The Seattle/Bremerton route will return to its two-boat schedule starting Sunday, June 15. The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth 'Triangle' route will resume its pre-pandemic three-boat schedule beginning Monday, June 30. A second vessel will operate on the Port Townsend/Coupeville run every Friday through Monday from July 4 through the end of the route's shoulder season on Oct. 13. Also—the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route is getting a new summer schedule. It begins on June 15 and runs through September 20. WSDOT says the revamped seasonal schedule includes a more realistic timetable that will help vessels stay on time. It also makes crewing schedules more manageable, leading to fewer crewing cancellations. How did this happen? In early 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson requested that Washington State Ferries focus on service. Originally, service restoration had been on hold until 2029 when the new hybrid-electric ferries are slated to arrive. With the governor's direction, their vessel engineering department went to work. 'Thanks to their hard work, we'll have the 18 vessels we need to add service beginning next month,' a news release states. The reality of adding service: Patience is needed WSDOT says it'll need to crew three more boats daily for the added services. It says it's working hard on hiring, but the reality is, with more vessels in service – there will be fewer relief crew members available. This means, there could be an increased risk of short-term cancellations while WSDOT works to hire more people.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
WA ferries warn riders of possible disruptions, rough sailings amid storm
The Brief Washington State Ferries is warning passengers to brace for delays and cancelations on Wednesday. Passengers should also prepare for rough sailings as a severe storm moves through the region. Washington State Ferries (WSF) is warning passengers to brace for service disruptions and rough sailings as a severe storm moves through the region Wednesday evening. "We've got potential for nasty weather tonight," announced WSF via social media at 12:46 p.m. "Make sure to pack the Dramamine if sailing with us and expect rough seas." WSF says delays and cancelations are possible. You can check the status of your ferry sailing schedule by route through WSF's website. Washington State Ferries is letting travelers know that they will be safe if lightning hits a vessel. "In the rare case lightning strikes, it hits a rod atop the boat and is redirected to the water," WSF said in their Wednesday afternoon social media post. In its Wednesday afternoon social media post, WSF said they may load their ferries to full vehicle capacity and operate at slower speeds to better stabilize the vessel during rough seas. WSF is encouraging passengers to check for rider alerts for updates on delays or cancelations. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. The Source Information for this story comes from a social media post by Washington State Ferries. Seattle bracing for 'rare threat' of severe thunderstorms on Wednesday Seattle hailstorm warning: How to protect your car from costly damage Tips to stay safe during a Seattle lightning storm Wednesday storms bring risks of lightning, hail and damaging winds to western WA Possibility of tornadoes in Washington Wednesday To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Inslee weighs in on pause of ferry electrification project he championed
The state ferry Tacoma, shown here in Seattle, would have been the next to be dry-docked under an electrification plan championed by former Gov. Jay Inslee. Inslee said he understands why the new governor put that on hold. (Photo by Tom Banse) One ferry rider with more than a passing interest in the course corrections for Washington State Ferries announced this past week is former Gov. Jay Inslee. The three-term Democrat is back at home on Bainbridge Island after vacating the governor's mansion in January to its new occupant, Gov. Bob Ferguson. Inslee was paying attention on Thursday when Ferguson pressed pause on a ferry electrification project that the former governor championed. Ferguson and the state ferries chief said they would indefinitely postpone further conversions to rechargeable battery propulsion of the state's largest ferries. The first diesel guzzler to be converted into a plug-in vessel – the Wenatchee – went $36 million over budget and fell far behind schedule. 'We have to electrify these boats. They are a significant part of our pollution portfolio in our state,' Inslee reacted in an exclusive interview with the Standard. 'But we also have to maintain public support and confidence in what we're doing here.' Inslee said he was unwilling to criticize his successor's decision. 'We only get one governor at a time,' he said. 'I wish him well.' For his part, Ferguson explained that he was driven by pragmatism to suspend the jumbo ferry overhauls. The move keeps more vessels in the water providing service until WSF can acquire new ferries. After the 202-car Wenatchee returns to the fleet sometime this summer, Ferguson said the beleaguered ferry system will be fully restored to pre-pandemic levels, except for a long-suspended Sidney, British Columbia route. 'Reducing Washington's carbon footprint is important to people in the state and is certainly important to me,' Ferguson said during a news conference at the downtown Seattle ferry terminal. 'But right now, we have to balance a lot of priorities. For me, the priority right now is restoring full service as we had in 2019.' In the Friday interview, Inslee said the Legislature should set a firm date in the future to restart the conversions of the remaining two Jumbo Mark II-class ferries so that the Wenatchee isn't left alone as a kind of electrified white elephant ferry. On a related matter, Ferguson and his predecessor are in alignment about proceeding with the in-progress national bid solicitation for up to five new hybrid-electric car ferries capable of carrying 160 cars each. But the first of those brand new plug-in ferries probably won't join the fleet before 2028 or 2029. As to Inslee's plans for his next act, he reiterated what he said in exit interviews early this year that he's not ready to retire at the age of 73. Inslee said he's currently weighing and negotiating possible roles with about six national nonprofits. He said it was too soon to name names, but they all have to do with the 'clean energy economy.' 'I do know that I'll be fully engaged in that. I believe it is the central challenge of our time,' Inslee said. Some of the roles entail a leadership position and others would have him be more like an eminent speaker or part-time spokesman, he added. 'I'm not goofing off,' the former governor assured his interviewer, promising to make an official announcement of his new role or roles in the coming weeks or perhaps months.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Washington ferry service to be restored to pre-pandemic levels by summer, governor says
The diesel-powered state ferry Tacoma, shown here in Seattle, will not be pulled from service anytime soon for conversion to hybrid-electric propulsion by order of Gov. Bob Ferguson. (Photo by Tom Banse) Washington State Ferries riders got a dose of good news for a change on Thursday. The head of state ferries and Gov. Bob Ferguson announced that ferry service will be fully restored to pre-pandemic levels sometime this summer, except for a long-suspended Sidney, British Columbia route. Ferguson said the state would pause further hybrid-electric conversions of the largest ferries in the state's fleet to keep vessels in service. The conversion of the first Jumbo Mark II-class vessel – the Wenatchee – fell far behind schedule last year when workers repeatedly encountered trouble trying to fit the new technology into the existing hull. The 202-car ferry is now slated to return with battery-powered propulsion capability in early summer, though the project is at least $36 million over budget. 'What this means is that with the Wenatchee put back into service – which we anticipate to be in June – we will then have 18 vessels in the water, the number necessary to fully restore domestic service for the first time since 2019,' Ferguson said during a press conference at the downtown Seattle ferry terminal. Ferguson and the ferry system chief, Steve Nevey, said the Bremerton-Seattle and Port Townsend-Coupeville routes should return this summer to two-boat service and the so-called 'triangle route' between Fauntleroy, Vashon Island and Southworth will have steady three-boat service, as was the case before the pandemic. The state ferry system has 21 vessels in its fleet, but there are always at least a few aging boats undergoing maintenance or repairs. A shortage of qualified crew members has also kept a lid on vessel availability. Nevey said recruitment, scholarships and training programs launched under previous Gov. Jay Inslee are paying off. He announced that the agency is now back to pre-pandemic crew levels. 'We are well on our way to significantly improved service,' Nevey asserted. Legislators, islanders and the mayor of a ferry-dependent city delighted at the ferry system's anticipated recovery. A climate action nonprofit voiced disappointment, however, about the indefinite pause to jumbo ferry electrification. 'Delaying the hybrid-electric conversion of two of our ferries is a difficult decision,' said state Senate Transportation Committee Chair Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, via email. 'Washington remains committed to reducing pollution and protecting our waterways, but we must restore service to what it was before the pandemic.' Until this week, it appeared that Bremerton and the central Kitsap County area might have to limp along with reduced service for several more years. Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler stood beside Ferguson Thursday morning with a big smile on his face. 'The lack of service has been a crisis felt by residents of Bremerton who have lost jobs and faced significant financial impacts,' Wheeler said. 'Restoring full service with Washington State Ferries will make a difference and negate lost opportunities in our community.' In 2023, Washington State Ferries and the Vigor shipyard in Seattle agreed to a $100 million contract to convert the Wenatchee and another vessel, the Tacoma, to plug-in battery power with diesel generator backup. There was also an option to proceed with another $50 million conversion of a third boat, the Puyallup. Ferguson said his direction to pause the contract after the Wenatchee conversion does not require legislative approval. He said he would revisit the postponed conversions 'when the time is right,' but certainly not before the FIFA World Cup soccer crowds depart in mid-2026. 'Gov. Ferguson's announcement to delay the conversion of existing vessels is disappointing but it doesn't change the ultimate trajectory for a zero-emission ferry system,' reacted Kurt Ellison, maritime policy manager for the environmental nonprofit Climate Solutions in Seattle. 'We have to get off diesel, stop breathing the exhaust, and switch to other cleaner options,' Ellison added in an emailed statement. The new governor said reducing Washington's carbon footprint is important, but that for him the priority right now is restoring full ferry service. Although the state will have to cover cost overruns for the Wenatchee retrofit, Ferguson said it will not have to pay a penalty to Vigor for pausing the conversion contract. The shipyard company, for its part, did not seem particularly upset about moving on to other projects. 'Vigor fully supports Governor Ferguson's decision to delay the hybrid-electric conversion of Washington State Ferries recognizing the importance of balancing immediate transportation needs with long-term fleet modernization,' read a statement sent by Vigor spokesperson Benton Strong. 'We have gained valuable insights through our work on the Wenatchee and will apply these lessons learned to support a smoother, more efficient process when the project resumes on the Tacoma.' Washington's new governor and the relatively new ferry system director said they are not planning to change course on electrification for the brand-new ferries the state has ordered. Next month, WSF will open bids submitted under a national solicitation for up to five new hybrid-electric ferries. Nichols Brothers Boat Builders on Whidbey Island is in the running, along with shipyards in Florida and Pennsylvania. The design put out to bid is for a plug-in ferry capable of carrying up to 160 cars and 1,500 passengers. Drawings show boats that resemble a slightly elongated version of the diesel-powered Olympic class ferries delivered between 2014 and 2018. The center of the ship's hold will be packed with racks of water-cooled rechargeable batteries so the ferry can sail fully on electric power most of the time. The engine room will also feature twin diesel generators as a backup source of propulsion power. Republicans, who are in the minority in the Legislature, introduced multiple bills last year and this year to allow diesel ferries to be bought instead in the near term, to reduce risk and costs. The Senate Transportation Committee gave a perfunctory hearing to one such bill sponsored by state Sen. Drew MacEwan, R-Shelton, late last month. But the committee chair did not bring the measure up for a vote before a recent deadline for bills to move forward. Managers at the state ferry system have been saying for more than a year that going out to bid again to buy diesel-powered new ferries instead of the hybrid electrics would delay the arrival of badly needed boats even more. A big unknown is whether the limited competition among shipyards and rising costs from factors such as new tariffs on imported steel will render new ferries unaffordable. 'We're not going to build those ferries at any price,' said state House Transportation Chair Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, in an interview Thursday. 'How many we can do will depend on what the bid is. We have to be good stewards of the public's money.'
