Washington State Ferries (WSF) is a public ferry system operated by the state government of Washington in the United States. It has a fleet of 21 roll-on/roll-off ferry vessels that carry both passengers and vehicles on its 8 routes between its 20 terminals within Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. WSF is the largest ferry system in the United States and the second largest vehicular ferry system in the world; in 2024, it carried over 19million total riders, of which 9million were in vehicles. The system's main terminal is Colman Dock in Seattle and its maintenance base is Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island.

The system uses double-ended ferries that have two pilothouses and two propellers for operation in either direction. They are powered by engines that use diesel fuel; the system uses 19million gallons () of diesel annually. The vessels have separate decks for automobiles and passengers, including outdoor areas for the latter, that are connected by stairs and elevators. Vehicles are driven onto the ferry, while passengers can board the "picklefork" on the deck from overhead walkways at major terminals or from the vehicle deck at other facilities. The passenger cabin includes restrooms, a staffed galley with a dining area, and vending machines. Washington State Ferries uses a standard livery of white with green trim for its vessels, but also allows the use of wraps for advertising through contractors; a gold stripe is painted on the stack when a vessel enters its 50th year of service.

Washington State Ferries began operations on June 1, 1951, after the state government's acquisition of the private Puget Sound Navigation Company's domestic routes in Puget Sound. The company, nicknamed the "Black Ball Line" for its flag, had acquired smaller operators who had formed the "mosquito fleet" and had a fleet of vessels that varied widely in size, capacity, and condition. The state government retained 16 of the company's vessels, including a handful of older wood-decked and steam-powered boats, and acquired other vessels from Maryland and local county systems. Among the most famous was , which was built in 1935 with a streamlined, Art Deco design atop an existing hull; she was the flagship of the Puget Sound Navigation Company and early ferry system until her retirement in 1967. The older ferries were gradually retired and replaced by larger vessels that were built specifically for the state's system, beginning with in 1954 and followed by the "superferries" in the 1960s that could carry up to 2,600 passengers and 160 vehicles. Washington State Ferries also acquired several passenger-only catamarans for limited service in the 1980s and 1990s, but retired the last of the fleet in 2009.

, the system has 21 ferries—of which 18 are in regular service during the peak months and 3 are designated for reserve or emergency use. The state government plans to acquire up to six new vessels that would be diesel–electric hybrids; , an existing diesel ferry, was converted to a hybrid and re-entered service in 2025. The ferries are typically assigned to a single route, but are able to be transferred depending on need. The largest ferries in the fleet are the three Jumbo Mark II class vessels, built from 1997 to 1999, which carry 202 vehicles and 1,791 passengers. The smallest are the Kwa-di Tabil class, which were built in the early 2010s and carry 64 vehicles and 748 passengers. The passenger capacity of the vessels was revised in 2011 following a new directive from the U.S. Coast Guard to account for the rise in obesity among Americans; the Jumbo Mark II formerly had a listed capacity of 2,000 passengers. Each vessel requires between 10 and 16 crewmembers while in service, depending on the size of the class. The oldest active ferry in the system, , was built in 1959 and is scheduled to be retired by 2035, when she will be 76 years old. One active vessel, , was equipped to meet SOLAS Convention certification for international service between Anacortes and Sidney, British Columbia, which was suspended in 2020.

The ferries are named by the Washington State Transportation Commission and are derived from the state's Native American tribes and their languages. The tradition originated with the Puget Sound Navigation Company in the 1930s and was adopted by the state government in 1958; the final vessel with a non-indigenous name was the Evergreen State, which was retired in 2015. Of the 21 active vessels in the Washington State Ferries system, 19 were built in Seattle; the Super-class had been built in San Diego, California. The state government added a requirement to use in-state shipbuilders for the ferry system in 1997; the ten bids awarded since then went to Todd Shipyards (later Vigor Shipyards) in Seattle. The requirement to use in-state shipbuilders was repealed in 2023 after negotiations with Vigor to build new vessels stalled; a Florida-based shipbuilder was selected in 2025 to build three hybrid diesel–electric ferries.

Current vessels

, Washington State Ferries has 21 vessels from 7 classes in its active fleet.

+ Active fleet of Washington State Ferries Vessel Class Year built Capacity Length Beam Displacement Horsepower Maximum speed Notes Vehicles Passengers Issaquah 1981 124 1,196 3,310LT Rebuilt in 1993 Issaquah 1981 124 1,196 3,405LT Rebuilt in 2005 for SOLAS certification Kwa-di Tabil 2010 64 748 2,090LT Olympic 2017 144 1,500 5,171LT Issaquah 1979 124 1,196 3,310LT Rebuilt in 1989 Super 1967 144 1,195 3,634LT Rebuilt in 1999 Kwa-di Tabil 2011 64 748 2,090LT Issaquah 1980 124 1,196 3,310LT Rebuilt in 1992 Issaquah 1980 124 1,196 3,310LT Rebuilt in 1990 Jumbo Mark II 1999 202 1,791 6,184LT Kwa-di Tabil 2011 64 748 2,090LT Olympic 2015 144 1,500 5,171LT Issaquah 1982 90 1,196 3,310LT Jumbo 1972 188 1,793 4,859LT Rebuilt in 2004 Olympic 2018 144 1,500 5,171LT Jumbo Mark II 1997 202 1,791 6,184LT Evergreen State 1959 87 596 2,413LT Rebuilt in 1994 Olympic 2014 144 1,500 5,171LT Jumbo 1973 188 1,793 4,859LT Rebuilt in 2005 Jumbo Mark II 1999 202 1,791 6,184LT Converted to diesel–electric propulsion in 2025 Super 1967 144 1,195 3,634LT Rebuilt in 2000

Future vessels

+ Future Washington State Ferries vessels Vessel Class Year planned Capacity Length Beam Notes Vehicles Passengers TBA 2030 164 1,500 Hybrid diesel–electric engine Unnamed vessel TBA 2031 164 1,500 Hybrid diesel–electric engine Unnamed vessel TBA 2032 164 1,500 Hybrid diesel–electric engine

Retired vessels

+ Former fleet of Washington State Ferries Vessel Class Years in service Capacity Length Beam Horsepower Maximum speed Notes Entered Retired Vehicles Passengers Wood Electric 1951 1973 50 400 Built in 1927 and purchased by PSN in 1937 Passenger-Only Fast Ferry 1998 2008 0 350 Sold to Golden Gate Ferry 1951 1964 52 950 Built in 1930; rebuilt in 1926 and 1932 under PSN 1951 1968 30 300 Built in 1925; rebuilt in 1947 by State Highway Department Super 1967 2020 144 2,000 SOLAS certified; international capacity was 1,090 passengers; rebuilt in 1991 Steel Electric 1951 1968 70 1,500 Built in 1927 and purchased by PSN in 1940; rebuilt in 1941 Evergreen State 1954 2016 87 854 Rebuilt in 1988 1967 2016 34 199 Super 1967 2019 144 2,000 Steel Electric 1951 2007 59 616 Built in 1927 and purchased by PSN in 1940; rebuilt in 1958 and 1986 1951 1967 70 1,943 Built in 1927; rebuilt by PSN in 1933–35 with new superstructure Skagit Kalama 1989 2009 0 250 Loaned to Caltrans after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake; sold to the government of Tanzania Wood Electric 1951 1973 50 770 Built in 1926 and purchased by PSN in 1937 1951 1962 32 325 Built in 1925 and acquired by PSN in 1935; sold to government of Oregon Wood Electric 1951 1973 50 601 Built in 1928 and purchased by PSN in 1937 Evergreen State 1958 2017 87 792 Rebuilt in 1995 Steel Electric 1951 2007 64 617 Built in 1927 and purchased by PSN in 1940; rebuilt in 1958 and 1981 1969 1982 65 350 Built in 1954 and purchased from San Diego and Coronado Ferry Company; sold to the U.S. Coast Guard 1951 1968 40 453 Built in 1913; rebuilt in 1931 and acquired from King County Ferry District Steel Electric 1951 2007 59 616 Built in 1927 and purchased by PSN in 1940; rebuilt in 1958 and 1987 1954 1993 55 605 Built in 1938 and purchased by WSF Steel Electric 1951 2007 59 616 Built in 1927 and purchased by PSN in 1940; rebuilt in 1958 and 1985 1953 2012 48 546 Built in 1947 and purchased from Claiborne–Annapolis Ferry Company; rebuilt in 1990 1951 1951 33 312 Built in 1923; rebuilt in 1931 1951 1970 50 659 Steamship built in 1922 and purchased by PSN in 1941 1951 1959 55 468 Steamship built in 1922 and purchased by PSN in 1941 Skagit Kalama 1989 2009 0 250 Loaned to Caltrans after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake; sold to the government of Tanzania 1951 1969 32 308 Built in 1929 for the State Highway Department Passenger-Only Fast Ferry 1999 2008 0 350 Sold to Golden Gate Ferry 1985 2003 0 270 Rebuilt in 1993 1951 1980 50 646 Built in 1930 and acquired by PSN in 1935 Steel Electric 1951 1968 70 1,530 Built in 1927 and purchased by PSN in 1940; rebuilt in 1941

See also MV Sanpoil, operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation on the Columbia River

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links Washington State Ferries website Evergreen Fleet