OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – It’s slow going, but progress has been made in revamping the Washington ferries.
The Seattle Times reports state officials have released plans for hybrid-electric ferries for the over-burdened Washington ferry system. The designs for the boats allot for 1,500 passengers, 164 vehicles per-ship and are based on the system’s Olympic class boat.
The first two ferries will be ready to set sail in four years, shuttling passengers primarily in the southern part of the Puget Sound.
With a 15-megawatt capacity battery, the ferry can reach up to 16 knots on the water which is slightly faster than on diesel power. Ferry officials say they want the ships to run on complete battery power, with diesel as only a backup.
The system looks to convert six boats for hydro-electric energy and build 16 of these new ships by 2040.
No builder has been chosen for constructing the new ships yet.
