COVER STORY
Mixed Parts
New hybrid-electric ferries provide a bridge to zero emissions. By Bruce Buls, Editor-at-Large
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n Jan. 23, 2020, Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee laid down the law: The burning of fossil fuels to power the state’s vessels, vehicles and facilities must be significantly reduced or eliminated. It’s called Executive Order 20-01 — “State Efficiency and Environmental Performance.” In it, he “hereby orders” that, among other things, “The Secretary of the Department of Transportation shall ensure that the Washington State Ferry (WSF) system begins the transition to a zero-carbon-emission ferry fleet, including the accelerated adoption of both ferry electrification and operational improvements that will conserve energy and cut fuel use.” The target date is 2050. OK then. For a fleet of 21 car ferries that burn 19 million gals. of diesel per year, that’s a tall order. Not long ago, WSF had been contemplating a transition to natural gas-powered 34
ferries as a cleaner and less expensive alternative to diesel, but the executive order put an end to that. Now it’s electrification all the way. Or, at least, hybrid-electrification for starters. For ferries, going electric is a trend all over the world, led by Scandanavia, so WSF will have a lot of company, including two other Pacific Northwest operators. In Canada, BC Ferries now has six Island-class batteryhybrid-electric car ferries, and to the west, across Puget Sound, Kitsap Transit has one hybrid-electric passenger boat and is preparing to build an all-electric sister vessel. In July, WSF issued a request for information (RFI) prior to putting out a request for proposals this fall for the design and construction of five hybrid-electric Olympic-class ferries, with the first to be delivered by June 2027 and the fifth by December 2031. According to the RFI, over the next 20 years, WSF intends to also convert six ferries, including www.workboat.com • NOVEMBER 2022 • WorkBoat
