Washington State passenger-only ferries headed for Tanzania

The Washington State Ferries passenger-only vessels Skagit and Kalama are headed for Tanzania — as cargo.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) sold the two ferries to Scope Community Consultants Ltd. of Port Coquitlam, B.C., for $400,000. Once transported by cargo ship they will  be put in service between between the mainland and Zanzibar.

The ferries were  built in 1989 in New Orleans by Halter Marine’s Equitable Shipyards.

The Washington Stae Legislature directed WSDOT to end its passenger-only service in 2006 and the two ferries have been docked and inactive since September 2009.

With a  length of 112 ft, beam of 28 ft and draft of 8 ft, the ferries each accommodate a maximum of 250 passengers.

February 19, 2011