Will there only be one?

The Wenatchee, a Jumbo Mark II ferry capable of carrying over 200 cars and 1,700 passengers, may end up being the only Washington State Ferries vessel converted from diesel to hybrid-electric propulsion after funding for two more such conversions was reallocated by the Washington state Legislature.

Instead of continuing with the plan to convert two other Jumbo Mark II vessels — the largest ferries in the fleet — the final version of the supplemental transportation budget allocates $17 million "provided solely to close out the program for conversion of vessels to electric hybrid propulsion."

The legislation continues: "This represents the final amount to be provided for this purpose."

The changes were made through the adjustments process for the 2025-2027 biennium budget during the recent legislative session, which ended on March 12.

The lack of funding may extend through at least 2031, according to reporter Tom Banse.

"The legislature has opted to not provide any resources for the conversion of the Tacoma and Puyallup for the remainder of this biennial cycle," said WSF External Relations Deputy Director Dana Warr in an email to Future Tides.

"We know both vessels will need a midlife rebuild to help extend their service life to the 60 years of service directed. We will be working with the governor and legislature about timing, work needed and funding."

Like the Wenatchee, the Tacoma and Puyallup were built in the late 1990s. The three are the largest ferries in the fleet, any of them being out of service significantly impacts the system. The diesel-powered fleet is "the biggest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions among Washington state agencies," according to WSF.

For close observers of both the ferry system and the state budget, this direction may not be surprising.

Wenatchee's conversion was completed a year behind schedule and significantly over budget. In 2025, it was pulled out of service three times due to issues. More recently, the ferry was taken out of service for planned annual maintenance and U.S. Coast Guard inspection. A March 26 weekly update from WSF said that "for the past several months, the vessel has been running well."

Efforts continue to electrify the fleet, but that now may solely be through new ferries. An update on the WSF project website emphasizes this saying: "While vessel conversions remain an important part of WSF’s plans to modernize our fleet, this reallocation reflects the system’s pressing need for new vessels."

The first new hybrid-electric ferry is expected to be delivered by Florida-based Eastern Shipbuilding Group in 2030.

Future Tides reached out to the governor's office for comment and will update this story when we hear back.

Previously on Future Tides

Funding flows in for WA ports and ferries

These investments may continue at the state level, but future federal funding is uncertain.

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Washington State Ferries extends timeline for converting ferry to hybrid-electric

Instead of a year, converting the first of three larger ferries may take almost two years.

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New meets old and the hybrid era of boating

From speakers to satellite antennas to hybrid propulsion, adding new systems to older boats seems to make a lot of sense.

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