Washington State Ferries Electrification

Washington State Ferries (WSF) Electrification tour.

Post Event Update:

Thank you to the staff and crew at WSF for being wonderful hosts to WSPE!  We had a fantastic tour, beginning with a tour of the new layout for Coleman Dock in Seattle.

We learned where new cables and substation will be built to provide electrical power to charge the new electrified ferries. Following this Coleman dock tour we boarded the ferry Tacoma enroute to Bainbridge Island and split into two groups,

Our group visited the engine room first to hear about the improvements that are being made to its sister ship, the Wenatchee, to electrify the existing Jumbo Mark II ferries to be electric. These ferries are mid-life and due for their planned overhaul, this work is being done at Vigor Shipyards at Harbor Island.

The Jumbo Mark II ferries currently have (4) centrally located diesel motors, (2) of the (4) diesel motors are being removed and replaced with electronics (Silicon Controlled Rectifiers and other components). Batteries will be installed fore and aft (Side 1 and Side 2) of the ferry. The ferries will be able to use either battery power or the existing diesel/genset power to make their runs.

Oddly, the crew did not know the chemistry of the proposed batteries which leads to anxiety… for people who follow electric cars Li-iron and Li-ion batteries lead to quite different fire concerns.

At Bainbridge Island the ferry passengers disembarked while we stayed aboard, our group then ascended to the wheelhouse and watched the pilot-house crew pilot the ferry out of Bainbridge’s Eagle Harbor. During the open crossing the captain graciously took time to discuss the ferry, routes, weather, and concerns that he had about the electrified ferries.

We watched in silence as the crew expertly docked us back at Coleman Dock in Seattle while the wind was a solid 35 knots and gusts were beginning to leave much of Bellevue and other eastside cities in the dark for days.  Again, many thanks to WSF for hosting this amazing tour!

Original Description:

Washington State Ferries (WSF) is embarking on an ambitious initiative to begin the transition to an emission-free fleet through a hybrid electric ferry system. WSF operates the largest ferry system in the United States. It is also the biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions of any state agency in Washington, burning 19 million gallons of diesel fuel to support 24 million passengers every year.

This shift to hybrid electric ferries is in response to governor and legislative direction as well as alignment with the agency’s own long-range planning initiatives. To transition to a hybrid electric fleet, WSF is working on the three key elements of the electrification system – building new vessels, converting vessels, and electrifying the terminals.

WSF will present on the overall System Electrification Plan.  The diesel-electric  vessels are being converted to “plug-in” hybrid with sufficient electric range to drastically curtail diesel use.  WSF’s first electrification project, the conversion of the M/V Wenatchee to hybrid-electric propulsion, is scheduled to be in drydock so we will tour a vessel of the same Jumbo Mark II class that has not yet been converted with a presentation about what changes will be made. 

Please join us for a look at Washington’s electric ferry future!

Tour Schedule:

Meet at Colman Dock at 3 pm

Colman Dock tour 3-3:35 pm

Board 3:50 pm sailing to Bainbridge 3:40 pm

Group A tours pilothouse, Group B tours engine room

Arrive at Bainbridge, stay on board for 4:45 pm return sailing

Group A tours engine room, Group B tours pilothouse Return to Colman Dock 5:25 pm