MV Chimacum is the third vessel of the Olympic-class auto ferries for the Washington State Ferries system. The ship was built by Vigor Industrial at their shipyard in Seattle , Washington and entered service on the Seattle–Bremerton route in 2017.
21-469: The Olympic-class auto ferries , also known as the 144 Car Ferries, are based on the Issaquah design. They measure 362 feet 0 inches (110.34 m) long overall and 335 ft 3 in (102.18 m) between perpendiculars with a beam at the lower vehicle deck of 83 ft 4 in (25.40 m) and a draft at design load waterline of 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m). The vessels have
42-477: A displacement at design load waterline of 4,320 long tons (4,390 t ). Ferries of the Olympic class are powered by two Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) two-stroke 12-710G7C diesel engines , each mounted at either end of the ferry turning a propeller at each end of the ship creating 6,000 shaft horsepower (4,500 kW ) total. This gives the ships a maximum speed of 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) and
63-562: A 144-car vessel to replace the 60-car Steel Electrics used on the route. Some local residents opposed this plan, so no new ferries were built. When the Steel Electrics were retired in 2007 due to hull corrosion, no auto ferries were able to serve the Port Townsend - Keystone route. The Steel Electrics were replaced by three smaller Kwa-di Tabil-class ferries that carry 64 cars and entered service between November 2010 and January 2012. It
84-828: A government agency in the U.S. state of Washington . They are the newest class in the WSF fleet and intended to replace the Evergreen State -class ferries that are near retirement age. The ferry design is based on the Issaquah-class ferries which have proven to be the most reliable and versatile in the fleet. The Olympic-class ferries are designed to serve all routes and terminals in the Washington State Ferries system. All vessels were built in Washington as required by state law since July 2001. Ferries in this class include: In
105-680: A mechanical breakdown and all other vessels were in maintenance until Kaleetan , could replace her on the Seattle–Bremerton run to finish sea trials and training. The vessel entered regular service in June 2017 on the Seattle–Bremerton route . In November 2020, Chimacum was the only ferry servicing the route after emergency repairs were required for fleetmate Spokane . Olympic-class ferry The Olympic-class are roll-on/roll-off ferries designed for Washington State Ferries (WSF),
126-534: A new hybrid electric vessel class based off the Olympic Class design- the first vessel of this new class is expected to enter service in 2028. Kwa-di Tabil class ferry Kwa-di Tabil-class ferries ( kwah- DEE -tah- BALE ) were built for Washington State Ferries to replace the retired Steel Electric-class ferries. The vessels serve lower-traffic routes and carry up to 64 vehicles. The State of Washington spent approximately $ 213 million to construct
147-708: A third Olympic-class vessel was authorized in the Spring 2014 session of the Washington State Legislature , and the keel laying and first weld took place on December 9, 2014. The name Chimacum , the gathering place of the Chemakum tribe, was chosen by the Washington State Transportation Commission in November 2014. She was christened on September 14, 2016 by Lynne Griffith, who at the time
168-655: A third Olympic-class vessel was authorized in the Spring 2014 session of the Washington State Legislature and the keel laying and first weld took place on December 9, 2014. The name Chimacum was picked for the third ferry by the Washington State Transportation Commission in November 2014 after a public outreach process. The Samish was accepted by Washington State Ferries on April 10, 2015, and christened on May 20 in Anacortes. The ship underwent two months of sea trials and crew training before entering service on
189-642: The Anacortes/San Juan Islands route at the start of the Summer 2015 sailing season on June 14. Funding for a fourth Olympic-class ship was authorized in the 2015 session of the Washington State Legislature with construction beginning on January 4, 2016. The Chimacum joined the fleet on April 7, 2017. Washington State Ferries took delivery of the Suquamish in July 2018, and the ship entered revenue service on
210-476: The Mukilteo/Clinton run on October 4, 2018. In 2019, the state legislature contracted with Vigor to build five additional Olympic-class vessels. The ferries in this second series were to be powered by a hybrid diesel-electric powerplant built by ABB , with either on-board diesel engines or shore-based electrical connections charging a lithium-ion battery bank. The 2019 legislation allocated $ 99 million to
231-457: The construction building onto a drydock on March 2, 2013. It was joined by the superstructure from Nichols Brothers Boatbuilders of Freeland, Whidbey Island on March 3, 2013. On March 5, 2013, the superstructure was on top of the hull. The keel laying of the Samish happened on March 8, 2013. Washington State Governor Jay Inslee was the one to strike the first weld on the Samish . Funding for
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#1732844443506252-496: The early 2000s, Washington State Ferries began planning a replacement for their aging Steel Electric-class ferries , which were built in 1927 and were their oldest ferries. They were the only vessels in the fleet that were able to run on the Port Townsend - Keystone route as no other vessel could be used in the small, shallow Keystone Harbor. Washington State Ferries planned to move the ferry terminal out of Keystone Harbor and build
273-645: The first vessel was built on tight 18-month schedule by Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle (by state law all new WSF vessels are built in Washington). The first ferry, Chetzemoka , was christened by Governor Christine Gregoire and began service November 14, 2010 on the Port Townsend-Coupeville route. Two boat service returned to the route on July 1, 2011 with the delivery of the second ferry, Salish . Kennewick entered service on February 14, 2012 and
294-881: The four old vessels. When the Steel Electrics were removed from service, there were no ferries able to carry vehicles on Port Townsend-Coupeville route as no other vessel could be used in Coupeville's small, shallow Keystone Harbor. Due to the vessel shortage created by the sudden retirement of the Steel Electric-class ferries, Washington State Ferries (WSF) decided to base the design of the Kwa-di Tabil-class ferries on an existing ferry, Island Home , which runs between Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts and Woods Hole, Massachusetts . The Washington State Legislature authorized and funded vessel construction in February 2008 and
315-484: The project, which funded design work, the purchase of major components for two ferries, and the beginning of construction on the first vessel. As of mid-2020, Vigor had planned to begin building the first hybrid Olympic-class ferry in 2021 for delivery in late 2023 or early 2024, contingent on the state allocating the remaining required funds in a 2021 session. However, in 2022, contract negotiations between WSDOT and Vigor broke down. In late 2023, WSDOT unveiled plans for
336-402: The three ferries in this class. In the design stage, the class was called the 100 Vehicle-class and later 64 Vehicle-class ferries. Ferries in this class include: In November 2007, Washington State Ferries made the decision to remove the 80-year-old Steel Electric-class ferries from service over safety concerns. Routine inspections revealed serious hull corrosion damage on two of
357-554: The vessels have capacity for 63,700 US gallons (241,000 L; 53,000 imp gal) of diesel fuel. The Olympic-class ferries were designed with two car decks, a sun deck and a passenger deck. They can load up to 144 automobiles, using a ramp that is two lanes wide. The ferries can embark 1,500 persons with seating for 1,300. The Olympic class is the result of the Washington State Department of Transportation requiring replacements for its aging ferry fleet. Funding for
378-545: Was added to one side of the vessels to correct the list. Despite promises that the Kwa-di Tabil-class ferries were designed to serve all routes and terminals in the WSF system, they have proven to be ill-suited for many routes. The narrow car decks on the ferries make it difficult to turn vehicles around (necessary on the inter-island route in the San Juan Islands and on the Fauntleroy / Vashon / Southworth route). During
399-542: Was announced on June 20, 2012, in The Seattle Times that State of Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond had selected the name "Olympic class" from more than 130 suggestions from department employees. On November 13, 2012, the Washington State Transportation commission named the first ferry MV Tokitae and the second MV Samish . The Tokitae ' s hull was rolled out of
420-486: Was assigned to the Port Townsend-Coupeville route, allowing Chetzemoka to be reassigned to the Point Defiance–Tahlequah route and the 65-year-old ferry Rhododendron to be retired. The Kwa-di Tabil-class ferries have had a number of problems since they were delivered. Most seriously, the non-symmetrical design of the ships caused them to list noticeably to one side. After a few months in service, ballast
441-521: Was serving as the head of the ferries system, the first woman to hold the office. The ceremony took place at the Vigor Industrial shipyard on Seattle's Harbor Island. She was delivered to Washington State Ferries on April 7, 2017, with her entry into service, replacing Klahowya , expected in the following months. The vessel cost $ 123 million approximately. Chimacum was forced into a three-day early temporary service on May 24 after Kitsap suffered
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