Vigor wins $150 million WSF hybrid-electric conversion contract

First ferry lined up for hybrid-electric conversion is M/V Wenachee

Moving ahead on its ambitious electrification program, Washington State Ferries (WSF) has awarded Vigor a shipyard contract for the conversion of up to three Jumbo Mark II-class ferries to hybrid-electric power. As well as converting WSF’s largest ferries to hybrid-electric, Vigor will also update the vessels’ aging propulsion system controls to extend the life expectancy of the ferries.

Following a competitive process among Washington State shipbuilders, Vigor’s winning bid was just over $150 million. The second bid came in at approximately $166 million. The state’s estimate was approximately $120 million. The just-awared contract is for conversion of two vessels at approximately $100 million with a fixed-price option to convert the third vessel in 2025.

WSF, a division of the Washington State Department of Transportation, is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and the biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions among Washington state agencies, burning 19 million gallons of diesel fuel every year. This shift to hybrid-electric ferries comes in response to direction from Gov. Jay Inslee and the Washington Legislature, and aligns with WSF’s Long Range Plan.

“This contract is a big step toward providing our ferry-served communities with better air quality and more sustainable service,” said Matt von Ruden, system electrification program administrator at WSF. “We’re tackling the biggest emitters in our fleet first, the Jumbo Mark IIs, which contribute 26% of our ferries’ greenhouse gas emissions. When our terminals are electrified in 2026, we expect emissions from these three vessels to drop by roughly 95%.”

In addition to the hybrid-electric conversion, the contract includes planned replacement of the propulsion control systems. The three vessels are experiencing equipment failures and replacement parts are often unavailable. This effort will increase reliability and ensure the Jumbo Mark IIs are available for decades to come.

This September, Vigor will start work on the first of the Jumbo Mark II ferries, Wenatchee, at its Harbor Island shipyard in Seattle. The ferry is expected to reenter service on the Seattle/Bainbridge route next summer. Vigor will then begin converting Tacoma in 2024. WSF has the option to extend the contract to convert a third ferrt, Puyallup, in 2025.

“Vigor and our skilled employees are proud to be continuing our strong partnership with Washington State Ferries,” said Adam Beck, Vigor executive vice president of ship repair. “Our long history with WSF makes Vigor the best place to help propel our ferry system into a low-emission, sustainable future which supports family-wage jobs all across Puget Sound. We look forward to getting to work and getting these ferries back in service for the thousands of Puget Sound residents who rely on them.”

Conversion of the state’s largest ferries to hybrid-electric power marks WSF’s first step toward electrification of the ferry system. The program will:

• Retrofit six current diesel ferries to hybrid electric.
• Build 16 new hybrid vessels.
• Retire 13 diesel ferries.
• Add charging stations at 16 terminals.

While WSF is one of the first and largest ferry systems in the U.S. to electrify ferries, ferry operators throughout northern Europe have completed hybrid-electric conversions on more than 70 ferries since 2015.

This is the largest conversion project in WSF’s $3.98 billion electrification program. Over the next 17 years, WSF will spend $3.7 billion to electrify or build new ferries and $280 million on terminals.

So far, WSF has received $1.34 billion in funding for the electrification program, with $1.03 billion coming from the 2022 Move Ahead Washington transportation package. This state funding builds on over $40 million in competitive grants, demonstrating a commitment at both the state and federal levels to address climate change by reducing transportation system emissions.