The conversion of the state ferry Wenatchee from diesel power to hybrid electric has hit unexpected engineering "challenges," state officials say, and won't sail again until summer 2025, a year past its originally anticipated return.
The Washington State Ferries boat, in dry dock on Harbor Island at Vigor Shipyards, was taken out of service in September 2023, the first of three Jumbo Mark II-class vessels the state plans to convert.
The delay will increase the cost of conversion, said Suanne Pelley, WSF's construction communications manager. But the state is still negotiating with Vigor on just how much it will add to the contract.
Vigor's $100 million contract is for the conversion of the Wenatchee and the Tacoma, with an option to convert a third boat, the Puyallup, for an extra $50 million. The state originally estimated the cost of converting three boats would be $120 million.
Matt von Ruden, who runs the state agency's system electrification program, said in a statement that there were "no issues with the technology itself," but said the issues came with installing "new technology into the existing vessel."
According to Pelley, blueprints and designs for the Wenatchee didn't match what workers found on the boat, leading to design changes and engineering challenges.
At a public meeting streamed online Tuesday, WSF chief Steve Nevey said the delay offered "lessons learned."
"Back when the project started, we developed a schedule and a risk profile that we believed addressed all the necessary work. We had some issues with the engineering, and converting and adding new technology to an old vessel," he said. "We're working together with Vigor ... to make sure we capture all the lessons learned from this conversion, so we can make sure we apply it to the Tacoma and Puyallup. ... The first time is always a challenge. But you learn the lessons and you move forward."
Benton Strong, a Vigor spokesperson, declined to answer questions for this story, referring questions to WSF.
The conversion work is part of a nearly $4 billion project to completely electrify the WSF fleet by 2040. That includes retrofitting six diesel ferries to hybrid electric, building 16 new hybrid-electric vessels and adding charging stations to 16 terminals. WSF also plans to retire 13 diesel ferries.
So far, the Legislature has put $1.7 billion toward the electrification program, from the Move Ahead Washington transportation spending package and money generated by the state's carbon market under the Climate Commitment Act. This money is dedicated to the three ferry conversions, five new hybrid-electric boats and electrification at five terminals, including the Seattle Ferry Terminal at Colman Dock.
The Wenatchee's conversion is the first step of this long-range plan, and its postponed return reflects just how complicated the project is, as well as its potential for unanticipated delays. In fact, at Tuesday's meeting, Nevey cast doubt on the 2040 electrification goal, saying, "I don't think that's possible."
An invitation to build the new ferries went out to 15 shipbuilders in June, and delivery of the first boat is due May 2028. A deadline for interested shipbuilders to turn in prequalification information to demonstrate their ability to build the boats has already been pushed back twice since the June invitation. WSF has said its 2028 deadline for the delivery of a new ferry remains firm.
WSF has an aging fleet of 21 ferries with$240 million in deferred maintenance. Fifteen boats are running on a reduced schedule, with six in reserve to accommodate regular maintenance or unforeseen breakdowns. WSF needs 26 boats to run at full service, and the state has been running fewer sailings with more cancellations for years.
Despite the yearlong delay on the Wenatchee, workers on Harbor Island have been busy, as crews from Vigor, WSF and subcontractors work side by side. As of last week, they've removed the boat's two propulsion diesel generators, installed electric power conversion and distribution equipment, upgraded obsolete propulsion control equipment, reconfigured piping systems, and constructed two new battery rooms.
A sticking point is the installation of thousands of feet of electric and fiber optic cable, a delicate material that's easily damaged. Once that is laid, battery banks will be installed, and the Wenatchee will go through a series of tests to ensure the new electric system functions.
The Wenatchee was built in 1998 at Harbor Island's Todd Shipyards, which was purchased by Vigor in 2011. Many of the companies that built parts for the ferry are now out of business, complicating its conversion.
The Tacoma, which is on the Seattle-Bainbridge route, is the same class of ferry as the Wenatchee, and was built in 1997, also on Harbor Island. WSF said the Tacoma will not be pulled from service for conversion until the Wenatchee is sailing again.
According to WSF, these Jumbo Mark II ferries — with space for 202 cars and 2,500 passengers each — are the biggest emitters in its fleet, and account for 26% of the agency's greenhouse gas emissions. After conversion, the boats' emissions are expected to drop by 95%.
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