Page 40: of Marine News Magazine (October 2023)

39 41

Ship Repair &

Conversion

Washington State Ferries Awards

Vigor Contract to Convert Its Largest

Vessels to Hybrid-electric Power

By Eric Haun

Washington State Ferries has tapped local shipyard Vig- Transportation, is moving to reduce emissions at the direc- or to convert up to three of its Jumbo Mark II class ferries tion of Gov. Jay Inslee and the Washington Legislature. The to low-emission hybrid-electric power. ferry system is the nation’s largest, carrying tens of millions

Vigor’s $150 million winning bid for the contract came of people each year. But it is also the largest contributor of in about $16 million under the second place bid from an- greenhouse gas emissions among Washington state agencies, other Washington shipyard, but was still approximately burning 19 million gallons of diesel fuel in a typical year.

$30 million above the state’s $120 million estimate for the “This contract is a big step toward providing our fer- project. Vigor has been awarded approximately $100 mil- ry-served communities with better air quality and more lion for the conversion of two vessels, with a ? xed-price sustainable service,” said Matt von Ruden, WSF system option to convert the third vessel in 2025. electri? cation program administrator.

WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of The Jumbo Mark II-class ferries were built between © Stephen / Adobe Stock 40 | MN October 2023