Two yards bid to build WSF hybrid-electric ferries
Written by Nick Blenkey
ImageL WSF/EBDG
Back in October last year Washington State Ferries (WSF) said that three shipyards — Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Florida, Philly Shipyard in Pennsylvania and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders on Whidbey Island, Wash. — had prequalified to bid build up to to five new 160-car hybrid-electric ferries.
On Monday, said WSDOT deputy secretary Steve Nevey, head of Washington State Ferries, “we opened the bids.” Two were received, from Eastern and from Nichols.
“We’re working to evaluate the bid documents and supporting information before we award,” Nevey wrote yesterday in his regular weekly update. “This is an exciting milestone in our shipbuilding mission towards a more reliable and clean future.
“Once the contract is signed, the shipyard will contribute their expertise to complete the design. This should take about a year. Construction will follow. We are also offering incentives for early delivery …I look forward to the next steps in this process and getting work started on new vessels.”
Nevey did not disclose the bid numbers, but the Seattle Times is reporting that, “two days after its bid to build a new hybrid-electric ferry came in nearly $90 million over an out-of-state competitor, Washington-based Nichols Brothers Boat Builders urged Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday to let both companies build the state’s new electric ferry fleet.”
According to the Seattle Times, Nichols CEO Gavin Higgins wrote Gov Ferguson saying that in a “best case scenario” the state could order two ferries each from Eastern and Nichols and still be within the state budget of $1.27 billion for up to five boats.
“Nichols estimated one boat would cost $338.6 million,” says the Seattle Times report, ”Eastern estimated the cost at $251.3 million, closer matching the state’s estimate of $256.8 million.”
