wsf – Pacific Maritime Magazine

11 Feb

Everett Ship Repair Buys Decommissioned Ferry from Washington State Ferries

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newseverettshiprepair, ferries, wsf

Washington State Ferries has sold its decommissioned ferry Elwha to Everett Ship Repair for $100,000, WSF announced Jan. 30. Everett Ship Repair, a maintenance partner of WSF, said it plans to turn the 144-car ferry into a floating office and warehouse at its shipyard. “The Elwha has been part of Washington State Ferry history since 1968, and we're excited to see one of our ferries with so much history and memories for millions of passengers is being repurposed locally,” WSF Assistant Secretary Steve Nevey said. “It won't be the Elwha we've all come to know and appreciate,” he added, “but…

28 Jan

Washington State Ferries Ridership Rose in 2024

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsferries, ridership, wsf

An estimated 19.1 million people rode Washington State Ferries in 2024, nearly a half-million more riders than in 2023, according to data released Jan. 13 by the state ferry system. The transit agency attributed the heightened attendance of 2.6% to a leap in walk-on riders and its fewest number of canceled sailings since 2020. Walk-on passengers accounted for the 5.7% increase (about 224,000 more riders) with tourism and more people returning to the workplace on the rise, according to WSF, which also saw a 1.1% uptick in passengers with vehicles with 102,000 people. The most notable year-to-year surge was experienced…

24 Sep

WSF’s Wenatchee Ferry Set to Return This Summer

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsferries, vigor, wsf

Washington State Ferries’ vessel Wenatchee, which is in the midst of a major propulsion system and hybrid-electric power upgrade at Vigor shipyard, is expected to return to service in the summer of 2025, WSF announced Sept. 19. Vigor has been working on the vessel since WSF awarded the company a contract in September 2023 to upgrade the agency’s Jumbo Mark II class ferries with hybrid-electric power capabilities and finish needed propulsion system upgrades on the 1998-built Wenatchee, the 1997-built Tacoma and the 1999-built Puyallup. “There are no issues with the technology itself, but as is common with major vessel retrofits,…

23 May

WSF Vessel Conversion Contract Bidding Closes Soon

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsconversion, ferries, wsf

Prospective shipbuilders interested in converting Washington State Ferries’ three Jumbo Mark II vessels into hybrid electric vessels in the coming years have until June 1 to submit bids. The contract represents a significant step in lowering the agency’s reliance on diesel fuel and greenhouse gas emissions for fleet operations. “Converting the three largest vessels in the WSF fleet means that we are tackling the biggest emissions culprits, with 26% of greenhouse gases coming from these three vessels alone,” according to WSF. This move, according to the agency, is expected to decrease emissions by more than 20% from these three vessels…