Caldier bill would provide backup plan if April bids for hybrid electric ferries are unsuccessful

Rep. Michelle Caldier says ferry commuters in Washington have waited too long for the state to build more boats to meet demand without delays. She’s introduced legislation as a backup plan if no shipyard qualifies as a builder for new hybrid electric ferries during the scheduled April bid.

House Bill 1377 would put in place a contingency option allowing the governor to declare an emergency and take all necessary actions to expedite the permitting and procuring of at least two non-electric ferries with the goal of delivery within two years.

“The Washington ferry system has a long way to go to restore trust with commuters. We’ve seen time and again many delays and cancellations of routes to the point where people no longer feel our ferry system is reliable,” said Caldier, R-Gig Harbor.

“The transition to hybrid electric ferries delayed the procurement of five new ferries promised to our commuters, which were to be constructed starting in 2019. Six years later, we still have no new boats. This misguided policy decision is a colossal failure, and it is hamstringing the reliability of our state ferry system.” added Caldier. “If no one is selected as a builder in April and there’s no backup plan, it will leave many Washington commuters stranded and suffering further delays. That’s why this bill is so important.”

In October, Washington State Ferries announced three shipbuilders had expressed interest in constructing up to five hybrid electric ferries. They include Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Washington, Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Florida, and Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The planned ferries would each accommodate 160 vehicles to enhance services on the Seattle-Bremerton and Mukilteo-Clinton routes. If bids for the ferries are successful in April, the contract would ask for delivery within 48 months, with new boats expected in 2030.

“It will be more than a ten-year wait for a new ferry as motorists depend on an unreliable, aging fleet to get them to and from work daily. If the bidding process falls through in April, we need a contingency plan, so travelers don’t have to wait another five years or longer for new boats,” said Caldier.

To save time, the bill would allow Washington State Ferries to use the existing design for the Olympic class vessels or a design compatible with existing ferry infrastructure. The measure would also direct the department “to immediately take all the necessary actions to expedite permitting and conduct an emergency procurement to acquire non-hybrid electric vessels for expedited delivery.” Caldier said the bill is necessary to stop the statutory mandate to buy hybrid electric boats.

Conversion of the second and third Jumbo Mark II vessels would also be authorized to be postponed under the bill until the first conversion is complete and proven to be effective.

“Our local economies in ferry districts are at risk if further delays occur. The message from this bill is that we are finished waiting. If this hybrid plan is not working, let’s have a plan B that moves our state forward now on ferry fleet expansion,” said Caldier.

The bill has been referred to the House Transportation Committee.