Olympic-class ferry
 The MV Tokitae's superstructure at Vigor Shipyards after arrival from Nichols Brothers on Whidbey Island | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | US Fab |
| Operators: | 2015 - future Washington State Ferries |
| Built: | 2012 - 2015 (planned) |
| In service: | 2013 - future (planned) |
| Building: | 2 |
| Planned: | 4 |
| Completed: | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | auto/passenger ferry |
| Tonnage: |
gross-tonnage: 4320 long tons net-tonnage: not available |
| Displacement: |
4320 long tons salt water at design load waterline |
| Length: | 362 ft (110.3 m) |
| Beam: | 83 ft 4 in (25.4 m) |
| Draft: | 16 ft 6 in (5.0 m) |
| Depth: | 24 ft 6 in (7.5 m) |
| Decks: |
2 vehicle 2 passenger |
| Deck clearance: | 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m) |
| Installed power: | Total 6,000 hp (4,500 kW) from 2 x Diesel engines |
| Speed: | 17-knot (31 km/h) |
| Capacity: |
1500 passengers 144 vehicles (max 30 commercial) |
| Notes: | All specifications are subject to change. Vessels in design and construction phase.[1] |
The new Olympic Class ferries are additions to the Washington State Ferries (WSF) fleet that are currently under construction. The ferries are intended to replace aging vessels currently in service. The new ferry design is based on the Issaquah 130 Class and the Super Class ferries. The Issaquah Class vessels are the most reliable and versatile in the fleet. The Olympic Class ferries are designed to serve all routes and terminals in the WSF system.[2] All vessels are being built in Washington as required by state law.[3]
In the early 2000s, WSF began planning a replacement for their aging Steel Electric-class ferries, which were built in 1927 and were WSF's oldest ferries. They were the only vessels in WSF's fleet that were able to run on the Port Townsend-Keystone route as no other vessel could be used in the small, shallow Keystone Harbor. WSF planned to move the ferry terminal out of Keystone Harbor and build a 144-car vessel to replace the 60-car Steel Electrics used on the route. Some local residents opposed this plan, so no new ferries were built. When the Steel Electrics were retired in 2007 due to hull corrosion, the WSF had no auto ferries able to serve the Port Townsend - Keystone route. WSF replaced the Steel Electrics with three smaller Kwa-di Tabil class ferries that carry 64 cars and entered service between November 2010 and January 2012.[4]
It was announced on June 20, 2012 in The Seattle Times that State of Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond had selected the name "Olympic Class" from more than 130 suggestions from department employees.[5] On November 13, 2012 the Washington State Transportation commission named the first two ferries. The first ferry is going to be called Tokitae and the second one Samish.[6]
The Tokitae's hull was rolled out of the construction building onto a drydock on Saturday, March 2, 2013. It was joined by the superstructure from Nichols Brothers Boatbuilders of Freeland, Whidbey Island on Sunday, March 3, 2013. On Tuesday, March 5, 2013, the superstructure was on top of the hull.[7]
The keel laying of the Samish happened on Friday, March 8, 2013. Washington State Governor Jay Inslee was the one to strike the first weld on the Samish.[8]
References
- ↑ 144 Auto Ferry Plans Archived from the original on 27 March 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ↑ Goldenberg, Joy. "Ferries - Olympic Class (144-Car) Ferries". wsdot.wa.gov. Washington State Ferries. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ↑ Built in Washington Ferries, RCW 47.60.814(17)
- ↑ Press Release about New Ferries
- ↑ Announcement Regarding Ferry Class Title
- ↑ Announcement Regarding Ferry Names
- ↑ Photo proving that the hull and superstructure were united on March 6th, 2013
- ↑ Moseley, David. Weekly Update. 8 March 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
External links
- 144 Auto Ferry Plans (Archived page)
- Washington State Ferries class information
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