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Eagle Harbor News

13 Mar 2023

Washington State Ferries' Cathlamet Repaired After Terminal Allision

(Photo: Everett Ship Repair)

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 fork is the area of a passenger deck extending above the end of the car decks…

13 Oct 2017

Markey ARR Winch System: Tried & Tested in the Toughest Tug Challenges

For more than 30 years, Markey Machinery has worked with the LNG and marine transportation Industries with the goal of developing winches designed to work under the most challenging conditions. The effort includes extensive design shop testing and actual commercial work, a combination that has ultimately produced an understanding of the operational issues facing terminal and tug operators. The many milestones in the development of Markey’s Asymmetrical Render/Recover (ARR) – technology by which hawser winches are able to maintain mean line pulls up to the bollard pull of the tug – came over a period of time that spans 25 years. The initial 20+ years of hawser winch design and Render/Recover development followed a traditional design path, influenced, in part, by market pressures.

01 Mar 2017

Washington Sells Its Oldest Ferry

Evergreen State (Photo: WSF)

Washington State Ferries (WSF) has sold its oldest ferry, Evergreen State, for $300,000 to Jones Broadcasting, LLC., who plans to use the 63-year-old vessel for ferry service in the protected waters of the southern Caribbean. “The Evergreen State is a special ferry. It was the first vessel custom built for Washington State Ferries in 1954,” said Ferries Chief of Staff Elizabeth Kosa. The first of the three Evergreen State class auto/passenger ferries, the 87-car, 854-passenger Evergreen State features surplus drive motors from World War II.

07 Feb 2017

Retired Ferry Gets a New Lease on Life

Hiyu (Photo: Washington State Department of Transportation)

A 50-year-old retired Washington State passenger ferry will get a refit, and with it another life as a floating entertainment space. Washington State Ferries (WSF) has sold its smallest retired ferry, Hiyu, for $150,000 to Menagerie Inc., who plans to repurpose the vessel as a floating entertainment venue. “We make every effort to keep our retired ferries operational, instead of being sold for scrap,” said WSF Chief of Staff Elizabeth Kosa. At 162-feet-long, the ferry is considered to be the among "cutest and most cherished" in Washington history…

28 Sep 2014

New Assistant Secretary WSDOT Sets Her Priorities

"As I close out my first week as Assistant Secretary, I am looking forward to the days ahead serving the customers and employees of our nation’s largest ferry system. In the near term, my biggest priority will be maintaining our 99 percent service reliability. During my first 30 days I will be spending the majority of my time traveling around the system and meeting with employees, labor partners and shipyard contractors to become familiar with the daily workings of WSF. This week has already been busy. I had a safety briefing and overview of our security and emergency response facilities at WSF Headquarters and toured the Operations Center.

22 Sep 2014

Two WSFs Due Back in Service

Washington State Ferries (WSF) inform in its latest newsletter that the ferries 'Kitsap' and 'Yakima' are expected to return to service next week. Commercial shipyards and Eagle Harbor staff completed work this week on both the Yakima and the Kitsap. Work included refurbishing the 50-year-old drive motor on the Yakima, repainting the Kitsap and renovating the Kitsap’s galley. After sea trials, the Yakima will go into service in the San Juan Islands. The Kitsap will replace the Sealth on the Seattle/Bremerton route. Source: WSF Newsletter

17 Aug 2014

WSF Engineers Work 24/7 on Engine Repairs

Overnight engine repairs and a meeting with Ferry Advisory Committee executives are detailed In this excerpt from the latest 'Washington State Ferries Weekly Update', by Capt. George A. Capacci, Interim Assistant Secretary WSDOT/Ferries Division. WSF crews constantly monitor the mechanical and support systems on all of our vessels. This week, the Vessel Engine department and Eagle Harbor maintenance crews completed overnight repairs on several vessels, including the Walla Walla, Spokane, and the Hyak. These repairs included replacing internal bolts that secure the piston on one of the Walla Walla’s main engines; repairing a cracked exhaust expansion joint on the Spokane; and replacing a seal on the Hyak’s generator.

11 Aug 2014

Damage to Propulsion of WSF's 'Tacoma' Seems More Extensive

Interim Assistant Secretary WSDOT/Ferries Division, Capt. George A. Capacci, says that ongoing investigations suggest that damage to the ferry's propulsion system following a 29, July disabling breakdown may be more extensive than previously thought. "This week, WSF engineers, alongside vendor technicians from Siemens Global, Inc., continued to take part in an ongoing and thorough investigation into what went wrong in the Tacoma’s loss of propulsion power on July 29. Siemens believes the damage is more extensive than the initial review revealed. For this reason, Siemens will require additional time to complete their investigation and prepare a recommended repair plan. "This has been a challenging week for Washington State Ferries and the customers we serve.

12 Mar 2013

Human Error Found in Walla Walla Motor Failure

Photo: WSDOT

A three-month safety investigation recently concluded that human error was responsible for the failure of an electric drive motor that removed the 188-car ferry Walla Walla from service. According to the final report, investigators determined the motor failure was avoidable and resulted from mistakes made by Washington State Ferries personnel. The motor failure occurred Nov. 4, 2012 when the Walla Walla was undergoing routine annual maintenance at Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island. •    Communication between engine crew and maintenance staff was insufficient.

01 Nov 2011

Good News Comes in Threes for State Ferries

Third 64-car ferry joins state fleet three months ahead of schedule. There must be something magic about the number three. Today, Vigor Industrial and its U.S. Fab shipbuilding division delivered the third of three new Washington state ferries, the 64-car Kennewick, three months ahead of schedule. “This is a major milestone in our vessel replacement program,” said Assistant Secretary David Moseley. “The Kwa-di Tabil class is now complete. The Kwa-di Tabil construction supported more than 360 family-wage jobs during the past two years at Seattle’s Harbor Island shipyard…

07 Oct 2011

Yakima Ferry Removed from Service for Repairs

The Yakima ferry was immediately removed from service this morning after maintenance crews discovered signs of abnormal wear on the journal bearing, which supports the propulsion shaft. Ferry riders in the San Juan Islands should expect delays through the weekend and next week with the 144-car ferry out of service. Washington State Ferries is moving vessels to maintain service on the route. The available vessels have less capacity and are slower than the Yakima and will not be able to keep the regular schedule. Starting Saturday, Oct. 8, the 34-car Hiyu will replace the 87-car Evergreen State as the inter-island vessel. The Evergreen State will then serve as one of the three vessels that sails between Anacortes and the islands.

13 May 2011

WSDOT Welcomes 64-Car Ferry to Fleet

Image courtesy WSDOT

The newest vessel to be added to the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) fleet of ferries was delivered by builder Todd Pacific Shipyards today. The 64-car ferry, Salish, will restore two-boat service to the Port Townsend/Coupeville route in July. “We feel a great sense of satisfaction after having built and delivered this complex vessel,” said Steve Welch, president of Todd Pacific Shipyards. “It’s going to transport millions of passengers for the next fifty years or more.

19 Nov 2010

Washington State Ferry System Reform Action Plan

Washington State Ferries (WSF) said it will work to implement a majority of 36 recommendations made by an independent panel to improve ferry operations. Changes will come in ferry management, vessel and terminal maintenance, finance, scheduling, labor and customer service, according to an action plan the Ferries Division of the Washington State Department of Transportation submitted to Gov. Chris Gregoire. “We have a world-class ferry system that provides marine highways throughout the Puget Sound region that are vital to our economy and our way of life,” Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond said. In March, Gov. Gregoire asked the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA) to conduct a review of how well WSF has implemented changes recommended by past system reviews and audits…

18 Mar 2010

Polar Tankers to Pay $588K for 2004 Spill

Polar Tankers Inc., a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Co., has agreed to pay $588,000 to help compensate the public for environmental harm caused by the October 2004 crude oil spill into Puget Sound’s Dalco Passage near Tacoma. The payment would come under a proposed settlement agreement or consent decree filed this week in U.S. District Court, Western Washington Division involving Polar Tankers and the United States, state of Washington, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Puyallup Tribe of Indians. A consent decree in federal court makes no finding of guilt or innocence. The U.S. Attorney General’s action was made at the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S.

13 Jan 2010

Ferry Repairs Disrupt San Juan Islands Service

Repairs to the 90-car Sealth continue after damage to the vessel’s engine output shaft was discovered on Tuesday, Jan. 5. Engineers estimate that the vessel will be ready to return to service by the end of the week of Jan. 11, after repairs and sea trials are completed. The Sealth was brought to WSF’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island last Wednesday, Jan. 6, and engineers determined that extensive repairs would be required. WSF sent its only backup vessel, the 34-car Hiyu, to serve as the inter-island vessel in the San Juans beginning Thursday, Jan. The 87-car Evergreen State is serving in place of the Sealth in the mornings.

23 Jun 2009

WSDOT Sells Vessel to Recycler

Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) has sold four 1927-built Steel Electric class vessels to Eco Planet Recycling, Inc. of Chula Vista, Calif. The total combined sale price for all four ferries is $200,000. The Washington State Department of General Administration approved the sale on Wednesday, June 17 followed by completion of the signature process on Thursday, June 18. Receipt of the payment was confirmed late on Friday, June 19. “The Steel Electric class vessels served as unforgettable icons of life in the Pacific Northwest,” said Assistant Secretary for WSF David Moseley. In November 2007, Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond ordered theQuinault, Illahee, Nisqually and Klickitat removed from service due to safety concerns.

11 Feb 2009

WA Oil Transfer Rules Protect Waters

In September 2006, state lawmakers directed Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) to adopt stringent oil transfer rules after 4,700 gallons of heavy fuel oil spilled during an oil transfer operation at Chevron-Texaco's Richmond Beach fuel terminal in December 2003. Swift currents drove the oil ashore on the Suquamish Tribe shellfish beds at Doe-kag-wats beach and salt marsh at Indianola in Kitsap County. In 2008, nearly 15 billion gallons of oil were transferred over Washington waters by ship, fueling facility, tank truck or rail, according to Ecology reports. That equals 1.7 million gallons an hour. Since the rules went into effect, Ecology has seen reductions in the amount of oil spilled. In 2008, only about 158 gallons were spilled to Washington waters during fuel transfers.

26 Jan 2009

WSDOT Sells 2 Passenger Ferries

On Friday, Jan. 16, the Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) closed the sale of the passenger-only fast ferries Chinook and Snohomish to the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District of Larkspur, California. The total sale price for the two vessels was $4m. In 2006, the Washington State Legislature voted to end state funding for passenger-only ferries. In 2007 the Legislature directed WSF to conduct the sale process of the Chinook and Snohomish and deposit the sale proceeds into a passenger ferry account. The proceeds from the sale will be used to help fund county-run passenger-only ferry service. The Chinook and Snohomish were built in the late 1990’s and provided passenger-only service between Seattle and Bremerton from 1998 to 2003.

11 Feb 2008

Damaged Ferry Towed

The Washington State ferry that was damaged after striking a dock has been towed to Eagle Harbor, Wash., for repairs. The ferry Yakima struck a dock adjacent to the Bremerton Ferry Terminal on its last run. The strike caused several fractures to the hull, some water intake and some structural damage. The fractures found in the hull were sealed by divers and the vessel was shored-up and dewatered. The vessel will need to be dry-docked, repaired and then inspected by the Coast Guard before it can return to service. The Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident.

29 Feb 2008

WSDOT Announces Realignment

The Washington State Department of Transportation announced a realignment of two key programs – Vessel Engineering and Vessel Maintenance. This step is part of Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond’s commitment to improve the organizational structure and performance of the ferry system. The two programs have become one under the direction of Paul Brodeur, the new Ferries Division Director of Vessel Maintenance, Preservation and Engineering. Paul previously served as the Ferries Division Director of Maintenance and Preservation. The realignment will create greater efficiencies in how the Ferries Division maintains the fleet and builds the six new vessels planned for the system.

07 Aug 2008

WSDOT Shuffles Ferries

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Ferries Division will move the 90-car ferry Sealth this afternoon, Wednesday, August 6, to Anacortes to replace the 144-car Elwha while necessary repairs are made to the Elwha’s propulsion system. The Sealth has been on stand-by at the Ferries Division’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility. The Sealth is expected to arrive in Anacortes in time to make the scheduled 6:50 p.m. sailing to Lopez and . At 8:00 a.m., Aug. 6, the Elwha temporarily lost steering due to a problem with the propulsion control system. The vessel resumed use of the propulsion system on one end and was able to make it to Anacortes under its own power. The Elwha is out of service until later this week while repairs to the propulsion control cooling system are made.

20 Oct 2008

188-Car Ferry Walla Walla Returns to Service

The 188-car returned to service on the Edmonds/Kingston ferry route on Oct. 17. The joined the 188-car , returning the route to its usual vehicle capacity. The 144-car Hyak has been on the route since Oct. 7 while the was out for necessary repairs. The ’s return will free the Hyak to return to the Seattle/Bremerton route, so the 144-car Kaleetan can go into WSDOT’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility for its required annual inspection. WSDOT Ferries Division removed the from service on Monday, Oct.

12 Jul 2007

USCG: Old Ferry Removed for Inspection

Washington State Ferries (WSF) is performing additional hull inspections on the 80-year-old Steel Electric Class vessels, which will temporarily affect the San Juan inter-island run. The 59-car Illahee has temporarily been removed from service awaiting the additional inspection, so the 87-car Evergreen State has taken its place serving the San Juan inter-island route. Starting July 15, the 34-car Hiyu will operate on the inter-island route for 1 week while the Evergreen State is at the ferry system’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility for its required, annual inspection. Two Steel Electric Class vessels will continue to operate on the Port Townsend – Keystone route. “We recognize that a ferry with less auto capacity inconveniences our customers.