The Washington State Ferries vessel Samish, at the Anacortes ferry terminal. (Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)
Washington state’s plan to transition the biggest ferry system in the United States to hybrid-electric by 2040 by purchasing new boats and undertaking complex conversions with several of our existing ferries is ambitious and laudable. No one disputes that we are in dire need of new ferries. Six of 21 ferries were pulled from service in recent weeks, and the converted hybrid electric ferry Wenatchee has been pulled for repairs several times since being put into service in July.
Washington State Ferries has been struggling with reliability for years, and some important steps have been taken towards righting the ship. Gov. Bob Ferguson prioritized restoration of reliable ferry service and has made changes and investments that make good on campaign promises. In addition to committing to building new ferries, the governor elevated the director of the ferry system to a cabinet-level position, and postponed taking the M/V Tacoma and Puyallup ferries out of service for conversion so as not to disrupt ferry service during the busy summer season and with the World Cup coming to Seattle.
But what’s driving unreliable ferry service today isn’t just too few boats on the water. Cancelled and delayed sailings are more often the result of a lack of licensed engine room crew required by Coast Guard regulations, and also a backlog of maintenance and repairs needed for a fleet of boats that, on average, are more than 50 years old. It is marine engineers who are responsible for operating, repairing and maintaining all the systems that keep ferries running smoothly. Few passengers are aware of this highly skilled workforce because they are out of sight below the car deck in the engine room, but they are essential to safe, reliable ferry service.
Washington State Ferries used to be one of the best-paying ferry systems in the country, but wages haven’t kept up with the market. Today, wages for engine room crews have fallen 20% below those of our deck counterparts. Because the state failed to close the wage gap in our last contract, we are still short-staffed. Adding to the challenges, we are on the edge of a retirement cliff, with half of our most skilled and experienced crew eligible to retire in 2027.
Without competitive wages, we won’t have enough licensed crew to operate and repair the new hybrid electric fleet vessels when they come into service. Skilled mariners are choosing private-sector shipping companies or other ferry systems that provide better wages and benefits.
The good news is that the cost of closing the wage gap for marine engineers is minuscule compared to more than $1 billion being spent on new ferries. But if that gap isn’t closed, those new boats won’t be able to sail. The state needs to balance its investments in greening the fleet for the future with support for competitive wages necessary to recruit and retain crewmembers essential to ferry service today — a need that will be even greater when we have a full fleet of hybrid-electric vessels ferrying passengers around the Puget Sound in the years to come.
The first few months of operating the Wenatchee after it was converted to hybrid-electric demonstrated the complexity of merging old and new systems. One takeaway has been how important extensive sea trials and training on the new systems will be. With competitive wages, we’ll be better able to keep our senior engineers long enough for new crew to gain the experience and credentials to step into those roles.
Ferry routes are a critical part of our state’s transportation system. Canceled and delayed sailings have serious impacts on the people and businesses that depend on them for goods, transportation to work, medical appointments, and school. Washington State Ferries are one of the state’s leading tourist attractions, pumping millions of out-of-state dollars into the local economy. Ferry-dependent communities and all Washington taxpayers deserve to have a reliable system and that is only possible when engine room crew are paid fair wages.
This post was originally authored and published by Eric Winge from Washington State Standard via RSS Feed. Join today to get your news feed on Nationwide Report®.
