Page 32: of Marine News Magazine (January 2016)

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FERRIES & PASSENGER VESSELS

Rough Waters for Washington State Ferries

Improved funding and management changes have the nation’s largest ferry system on a course to better times. Challenges remain, but WSF tackles each one in turn.

By Sarah McCoy nlike the citizens of British Columbia, which pays So, while the shipbuilding end of the ferry system has a German shipyard to build its ferries, Washington been successful, the funding end has struggled. It has some- state residents resolutely invest at home. By law, fer- times seemed as though taxpayers were at odds with them-

U ries are built locally and the results, overall, seem win-win. selves, on one hand expecting transportation but with the

The state’s Of? ce of Financial Management estimates that other hand cutting its funding. A 1999 tax repeal began every $75 million in ferry construction generates about $90 years of persistent underfunding. Lean budgets have forced million for the state’s economy. In-state shipbuilding pro- WSF into using decades-old boats and gave it uncertainty vides the vessels that are at the center of the marine transpor- about buying new boats. Lack of funding meant delayed tation system. On top of that, WSF employs 1,900 people. maintenance and tight staf? ng. And, the situation gave

Image above: The process of installing the superstructure built by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders onto the hull of the M/V Tokitae at Vigor’s yard, March 2013.

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