The grounding of the Walla Walla ferry this weekend near Bainbridge Island is being attributed by some to Washington state’s aging fleet of vessels – an issue lawmakers are hoping to address with a new bill that is headed to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk.
Initial indications showed the Walla Walla ran aground on Saturday evening after a generator on the boat went out, meaning the crew could no longer steer the boat. No one was hurt, but passengers were stranded for hours.
“You can imagine what it was like for that captain and crew to all of a sudden realize they no longer had control of that vessel as far as steering,” said Ian Sterling who is the director of communications for Washington State Ferries.
Divers determined Monday that there was no severe damage to the 50-year-old ferry’s hull. The agency will conduct an official investigation into the cause of the grounding.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it,” Sterling said. “It is a strange one, and of course, we are all very curious to see what happened.”
Lawmakers like Rep. Jake Fey (D-Tacoma) are linking the grounding to the age of Washington’s ferry fleet. Fey’s bill, House Bill 1846, would require the state department of transportation to contract at least two new vessels and open the bidding process to builders in other states.
“In the current law we provide a national bid, there’s a 13% advantage to take into account the advantages of building it (in Washington) and the jobs that are created,” said Fey.
“We hate to see these boats and the jobs go to other states, so we’ll do our level best to compete as best we can with the bill,” said Jeff DeVere who represents Nichols Bros. Boat Builders on Whidbey Island.
DeVere said it’s hard to compete with states that don’t have the wage, health and environmental protections required in Washington. He estimates other states can build a ferry for 20% less than in western Washington.
“These boats represent a lot of jobs in the Puget Sound, a lot of economic benefits,” said DeVere.
With a shrinking and aging fleet, one thing is certain. Washington needs new vessels.
“It takes several years to build a boat and we have yet to drive a riveter or a screw and that’s coming,” said Sterling. “Hopefully sooner than later.”
HB 1846 passed through the House and the Senate - with amendments. It now heads to Gov. Inslee's desk following the House-approved amendments.