Kitsap County News

It’s a common story in the U.S. shipbuilding industry today. A piece of equipment that used to be available for delivery on short notice—maybe in one or two weeks—now must be ordered months or more in advance, and it costs double. Add to this rising steel prices and the labor issues that have pervaded nearly all industrial sectors since the early days of the pandemic, and it’s clear that business is far from usual for American shipyards.Bollinger Shipyards president and CEO, Ben Bordelon…

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded $45.3 million in grant funding to help buy, repair, and modernize ferry boats and terminals.The fiscal year 2021 grants have been awarded to projects in 11 states and territories, providing funds for capital projects that support existing passenger ferry service, establish new ferry service, and upgrade ferry boats, terminals and related facilities and equipment. The grants also help transit agencies and ferry companies offset the considerable cost of introducing new…

Kitsap Transit’s early test of a passenger-only ferry service between Bremerton and Seattle has proved successful enough that the agency is adding two new fast ferries to its fleet.The passenger-only ships will expand the marine highway being developed to help ease congestion in the Puget Sound area. Nichols Brothers Boat Builders of Freeland, Washington, was hired to build the two ferries, with an option to build a third ship.Each of the 140-foot-long aluminum catamarans are powered by two MTU 16V4000 M65L engines and two Rolls-Royce S71 water jets, all being provided by Pacific Power Group.

The Northwest's boat builders Nichols Brothers Boat Builders (NBBB) has won a design and build contract to build two new high-speed passenger-only ferries for Kitsap Transit with an option for a third.The Kitsap County, Washington public transit agency launched a new fast-ferry service in July 2017 between Bremerton and downtown Seattle with plans to add service connecting Kingston and Southworth to Seattle.Earlier this year, Kitsap Transit purchased the “Finest,” a 350-passenger high-speed catamaran from New York Waterways and shipped it to Puget Sound.Following a refurbishment at NBBB, Finest started its inaugural run between Kingston and downtown Seattle the day after Thanksgiving on the busiest shopping day of the year.

General Dynamics NASSCO celebrated the grand opening of its new location in Bremerton, Wash., yesterday. The facility will support the company’s recently-awarded contract to repair and maintain U.S. Navy aircraft carriers home-ported in and visiting Bremerton and Everett, Wash. Attendees at the ribbon-cutting ceremony included U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, City of Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent, Kitsap County Commissioners, Kitsap economic and business leaders, NASSCO leadership and more. “We feel right at home here in Bremerton. This community has done a fine job in making us feel welcome,” said Jeff Brooks, a General Dynamics NASSCO senior general manager assigned to the Bremerton operation.

General Dynamics NASSCO opened a new location yesterday in Bremerton, Wash. to support the company’s recently-awarded contract to repair and maintain U.S. Navy aircraft carriers home-ported in and visiting Bremerton and Everett, Wash. Attendees at the ribbon-cutting ceremony included U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, City of Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent, Kitsap County Commissioners, Kitsap economic and business leaders, NASSCO leadership and more. “We feel right at home here in Bremerton. This community has done a fine job in making us feel welcome,” said Jeff Brooks, a General Dynamics NASSCO senior general manager assigned to the Bremerton operation. “We look forward to providing high-quality repair and maintenance services as part of our partnership with and commitment to the U.S.

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.

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (AW/NAC) Eric J. Rowley, Fleet Public Affairs Center Det. USS Connecticut (SSN 22) arrived at Naval Base (NB) Kitsap Bremerton Jan. 29, officially changing its home port from Groton, Conn., after a six-month deployment. Connecticut left Groton July 25 for a six-month deployment around the world conducting real world operations and visiting many ports before arriving to its new home in Bremerton. "We had a successful deployment," said Lt. j.g. James Foster, Connecticut supply officer. "We got to visit lots of interesting places and do missions of national importance. The half-hour ceremony left friends and families waiting in blistery cold weather to give their Sailors a warm welcome to their new homes.

Capt. Clarke Orzalli, Commander, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, was recently selected to receive the Bremerton,(Wash.) Area Chamber of Commerce's highest recognition - the Hyas Tyee award. Orzalli's selection was based on his significant leadership position, outstanding community/civic outreach and being an exemplary role model for others. "I am extremely humbled by this award and to be recognized with community leaders such as Mayor Cary Bozeman, a man of great vision and strong leadership, is a tremendous honor," said Orzalli at the standing-room only awards ceremony. "I am very proud to accept the award that represents the great work members of the PSNS & IMF team do in our community.

Foss Maritime Co., which was responsible for a December 2003 oil spill that fouled shorelines in Snohomish and Kitsap counties, will pay nearly $577,000 in state penalties, Jay Manning, director of the Department of Ecology (Ecology), announced. "This spill was miniscule compared to the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska and the cleanup effort was aggressive, but the effects were still serious," Manning said. A Foss barge spilled approximately 4,700 gallons of heavy fuel oil while being filled at the ChevronTexaco terminal at Point Wells in Snohomish County just after midnight on Dec. 30, 2003. Oil washed onto shore at the terminal and drifted across Puget Sound to coat beaches and the Doe-kag-wats marsh on the northern shore of Port Madison.

State ferry authorities say population and job growth in the central Puget Sound area are expected to reverse a recent trend and increase ridership on their vessels by 70 percent over the next 25 years and require spending an additional $400m on new boats. Now the state will have to figure out how to pay for that expansion. The number of fares sold on Washington State Ferries totaled just under 24 million last year, down about 10 percent from 2000, according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. But population growth in Kitsap and Island counties is expected to outstrip the number of new jobs, whereas in King County the reverse will be true. This means that more people will commute from the west side of the Sound to the Seattle area to work.

On December 16th, the U.S. Coast Guard, Washington State Patrol, and Washington State Ferries will be conducting a joint agency training exercise in Yukon Harbor, southwest of Blake Island. The drill scenario incorporates a multi-agency response to a simulated ferry hijacking. Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams from the Seattle Police Department, Kitsap County Sheriff’s office, and the Washington State Patrol along with the Washington State Ferries, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Bainbridge Island Fire and Police Departments, and Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife will use the opportunity to implement contingency plans and strengthen interagency relationships developed since September 11th.

The Coast Guard says two tugboats -- not just one -- sank early Monday near Port Gamble. An estimated 200 gallons of diesel fuel leaked from one vessel before a vent was plugged by divers. The Coast Guard, Kitsap County Sheriff's Office and state Ecology Department are investigating the sinkings. The tugs were tied together near the old Port Gamble mill. The Kitsap County Health District advises against harvesting or eating shellfish from the bay until further notice because of the fuel spill. But the state Department of Health gave the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe the O-K to resume geoduck (GOO'-ee-duck) harvesting. The big clams are found in deeper waters. Source: AP