Ferguson unveils plan to return WA ferries to full domestic service levels by summer

TACOMA – Gov. Bob Ferguson unveiled plans Thursday to fully restore the state’s domestic ferry service by this summer.

The goal is to get 18 vessels in the water, with another three going through maintenance at various times – a return to levels last seen in 2019.

“We’re excited about the fact that sometime this summer, we’ll be restored back to that level,” Ferguson said during a Thursday news conference at Colman Dock in Seattle.

Ferguson noted that the state will delay the hybrid-electric conversion of two of the largest ferries in the state. That pause will be in place until after World Cup 2026, happening next year in Seattle from late June through early July.

The Wenatchee is the state’s first vessel to be converted to a hybrid-electric ferry. By the time it’s up and running again this summer, it will have been out of commission for roughly 22 months.

The next two vessels slated for conversion could take between a year and 16 months, Ferguson said. In addition to being the fleet’s largest vessels, they serve two of the busiest routes.

“The increase in demand caused by these major events will, of course, put additional stress on an already strained system,” Ferguson said. “In other words, that would just be the wrong time to go forward with having our biggest, busiest vessels out of service over the next couple years.”

Ferguson said that despite the state’s budget challenges, he fully backs the ferry-worker pay boosts already laid out in collective bargaining agreements, which include more than $28 million in compensation for all ferry workers. He said such increases must be included in the budget he signs.

Washington State Ferries have run on a slimmed-down schedule since the pandemic, according to the governor’s office. Some commuters must wait more than two hours between ferries on the Bremerton-to-Seattle route every day.

The state is looking to acquire up to five new electric ferries in the future, Ferguson said. Bids from shipbuilders will be opened in early April, with at least one contract signed by June. Such boats would hit the water as soon as the start of 2029.

Also, in the long term, Ferguson said the state will need to replace another 11 ferries before 2040 to keep the fleet up to date and moving at full capacity. He said he’s directed the state’s ferry system to examine innovative ways to obtain new vessels faster. One such idea is to lease, with the goal of buying later on.

Washington State Ferries head Steve Nevey is also being elevated to deputy secretary of the state’s transportation department.

“One canceled sailing is unacceptable, and we’re working hard with Governor Ferguson’s support to decrease these numbers even more,” Nevey said Thursday.

Some progress has already been made, he added. In the first couple of months of 2023, the state counted 147 canceled sailings because of crew shortages. Over the same span this year there were 42 canceled sailings because of crew.

Nevey said that from January through February last year, vessels were punctual 90% of the time. This year that rate rose to 94%.

Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler said the role that the state’s ferry service plays in the lives of his constituents is significant. Many folks depend on that mode of transport to make medical appointments and to commute for work.

Wheeler described the paucity of ferry service as a crisis, one felt by Bremerton residents who’ve faced financial hardship and lost jobs.

“Governor Ferguson’s leadership has helped address this crisis,” Wheeler said. “Restoring full service to Washington State Ferries will make a difference and regain lost opportunities in our community.”

The governor is expected to meet with San Juan Islands residents on July 15 to hear how they’ve been affected by decreased levels of ferry service, according to Thursday’s news release. He spoke with Whidbey Island residents before taking office.