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High costs may force WA ferry electrification program off course
Washington aspires for its largest-in-the-nation fleet of passenger ferries to operate reliably and emission-free by 2050.
To get there, the plan is to convert six existing vessels to hybrid-electric power, build 16 new plug-in boats, and add shore charging to 16 terminals — all by 2040.
But only one conversion is done. And neither new vessels nor electrified terminals are expected to be operational before the end of the decade.
With projects taking longer and costing more than expected, achieving the ambitious mid-century goal for the ferry system looks increasingly unattainable.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/07/08/high-costs-may-force-wa-ferry-electrification-program-off-course/