The Washington State Department of Transportation recently launched a national search for a contractor to build five new hybrid-electric ferries.
[Above photo by WSDOT]
In a blog post, the agency said it expects that qualified firms will submit their bids for the ferry-building project in late 2024, with WSDOT then selecting one or possibly two shipbuilders to construct the new vessels.
Under this contracting approach, two vessels could be delivered in 2028, two more in 2029, and the final ferry in 2030 – all subject to final bid prices and available funding. Those boats are expected to support the Mukilteo/Clinton and Seattle/Bremerton routes, WSDOT noted.
In 2020, WSDOT published a System Electrification Plan that explains how the agency plans to meet emission reduction goals by using hybrid-electric vessels and electric recharging stations installed at its ferry terminals.
The plan includes building 16 new vessels in the next 16 years and converting six diesel-only vessels to hybrid-electric, WSDOT said, with the overall electrification program estimated to cost $4 billion.
[Editor’s note: In a related ferry modernization effort, the Connecticut Department of Transportation said that Connecticut River Ferry customers can now purchase fares using their smartphone through the “Token Transit” mobile application. Connecticut’s ferries operate seasonally between April 1 and November 30 and in 2023 transported 50,000 passengers and more than 123,000 vehicles.]
WSDOT noted that, in May 2023, the Washington State legislature passed a bill allowing for a faster and more competitive procurement process for the five hybrid-electric ferries.
With this new law, out-of-state shipyards can submit bids and WSDOT can issue up to two contracts at once. At least 10 shipyards have registered as “interested parties” to bid on the agency’s hybrid-electric ferry construction proposal to date, the agency said.
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