By
Rebecca Gibson |
Washington State Ferries (WSF) has contracted Vigor Industrial to build its fourth Olympic Class ferry.
Funded through the Connecting Washington transportation funding package, the new US$122 million ferry is scheduled for delivery in mid-2018 and will support around 500 jobs at Vigor’s Seattle yard.
The 144-vehicle newbuild will join three other Olympic Class ferries. These include
Tokitae, which joined the Mukilteo – Clinton route in June 2014; Samish, which entered service on the Anacortes – San Juans Island route in June 2015; and Chimacum, which will debut on the Seattle – Bremerton route in 2017. All four have been designed to replace four of WSF’s oldest ferries built during the 1950s and 1960s.
“Our top priority is keeping the ferry system safe and reliable for the millions of commuters, freight haulers and travellers who depend on us every year,” said Elizabeth Kosa, chief of staff at WSF. “Thanks to state lawmakers and critical funds from Connecting Washington, we are able to meet some of the ferry system’s most urgent needs, including building this new ferry.”
Olympic Class ferries are equipped with the latest emergency-evacuation and fire-suppression systems, two Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant elevators, and wider car-deck lanes that provide more room for passengers to access their vehicles. The vessels’ hull design reduces wake and provides better fuel efficiency, while cleaner burning engines reduce emissions. Passenger comfort will also be increased due to better heating and ventilation systems, more internal seating and more flexible seating configurations.