All American Marine to Build Two Seattle Catamaran Ferries
The King County Ferry District, whose ferries link the communities that ring Lake Washington and Puget Sound, has contracted with Bellingham-based All American Marine to design and build two new 'water taxis' to replace its pair of 25 year-old leased vessels. The operators explain that the new vessels will each carry 250 passengers, 78 more than the vessels they will replace. That added capacity means more passengers will be able to use the water taxis during the busiest weekday commute periods.
Water Taxi Allision at Seattle’s Pier 50
U.S Coast Guard and multiple Seattle-area rescue agencies responded to a water taxi allision in Seattle at Pier 50 on Sept. 26. The King County water taxi Rachel Marie allided with the pier at approximately 11:30 a.m. with 78 passengers and crew onboard. Two 41-ft utility boat crews from Coast Guard Station Seattle, along with the Seattle Fire Department and Seattle Police Harbor Patrol crews responded to the scene and are transporting the passengers and crew off the vessel. One person fell into the water and was immediately recovered. The remaining 77 people were removed from the vessel. Approximately five people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The cause of the allision is unknown. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound is investigating the accident.
Feature: Boats We Love
Every harbor has its share: hardworking boats that stand-out for some provacative reason. It's probably not for their beauty. Form follows function in most maritime architecture, and maybe there's a beauty in how functional these boats are. But such beauty resides in the mind more than the eye. And yet they're still head-turners. Every harbor has its share. In New York, three come to mind - aphabetically, Odin, Shelby Rose, and Twintube. You know 'em on sight. The first two are tugs, and sort of look it. As for the third, "I was trying to build something that would do everything," Luther Blount told us. It does. They do. They say you'll see boats that resemble her out west. We've seen similar craft heading up the Rhine in Europe. But on New York harbor, Odin looks unique.
Hornblower to Offer New Ferry Service in Honolulu
Hornblower Marine Services announced a new option for Honolulu commuters- “TheBoat.” Beginning September 17, Hornblower Marine Services (HMS) will operate passenger-only ferry service between Oahu’s leeward side to downtown Honolulu. The commuter ferry is an extension of Honolulu’s transit service, TheBus. HMS’s subsidiary, HMS-Pac Nav, Inc. of Bainbridge Island, Washington, has undertaken this demonstration project in cooperation with The Department of Transportation Services (DTS) for the City and County of Honolulu. The new ferry service will operate in conjunction with the Oahu Transit Services group (TheBus) who will provide dedicated shuttle service to and from the ferry terminals.
