Lack of available spare vessels could disrupt Kingston, Southworth ferry routes through 2024
The M/V Commander crosses in front of the Seattle skyline on August 6, 2023.
December 1, 2024 Update: M/V Enetai returned to service in September. M/V Commander is still out of service.
Fast-ferry service on the Kingston/Seattle and Southworth/Seattle routes will operate until further notice without spare vessels and with only the M/V Finest and M/V Solano, respectively. If either vessel experiences mechanical issues and needs to be taken out of service, Kitsap Transit may have to cancel all sailings on the affected route until the vessel is available.
“We realize this isn't good news, but safety has to be our first priority,” said John Clauson, Executive Director of Kitsap Transit. “We want to give our customers the information they need to plan their travel accordingly. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
Below are answers to common questions.
What happened to M/V Enetai and M/V Commander?
M/V Enetai and Commander are both out of service due to a failed part in the jet propulsion system that was not anticipated to have any issues over the system's lifetime. The cause of the part's failure is under investigation. The vessels cannot be returned to passenger service until the U.S. Coast Guard confirms the part is replaced and working satisfactorily.
How long will it take to return Enetai and Commander to service?
The vendor that manufactures the part has informed Kitsap Transit it has a 15-20 week lead time for delivery of the cast aluminum hull fitting. Once the part arrives, the vessel will be towed to dry dock, where the part will be installed. As a result, Kitsap Transit conservatively estimates the Enetai will be out of service until mid-November. The failure on the Commander wasn't confirmed until Monday; as a result, the Commander likely will not return to service until early 2025 due to shipyard and parts availability.
Why would the problems with the Enetai and Commander cause more sailings to be canceled?
The Kingston/Seattle and Southworth/Seattle routes normally operate with a spare vessel in case of mechanical issues with the primary vessel; the availability of spare vessels allows the services to maintain a high degree of reliability. Because Enetai and Commander are now out of service, the routes will be operated effective immediately without spare vessels. If either Finest or Solano needs to be taken out of service due to mechanical issues, Kitsap Transit may have to suspend the route temporarily until it can repair the vessel or find an alternative solution.
How will this change affect on-time performance and reliability?
M/V Solano isn't as fast as Enetai or Commander; the vessel may take longer than 26 minutes to make the Southworth/Seattle crossing, which could impact the route's on-time performance. Reliability on the Kingston/Seattle and Southworth/Seattle routes has historically been very high, often 100 percent of scheduled sailings. Riders should expect less than stellar reliability during this period when the routes do not have spare vessels. To look up statistics on each route, visit kitsaptransit.com/ferry-dash.
How will this affect riders making a bus-ferry connection on the Kitsap side?
If sailings are canceled, fast-ferry riders in Kitsap will have alternatives:
On the Kingston route, Kitsap Transit will provide extra Routed bus service between Kingston and Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal, where riders can take Washington State Ferries (WSF) to downtown Seattle.
On the Southworth route, Kitsap Transit will encourage riders to take King County Water Taxi, which operates a route between downtown Seattle and Vashon Island, and then WSF to Southworth Ferry Terminal. Kitsap Transit will operate Routed bus service between Southworth Ferry Terminal and Harper Church Park & Ride.
Fast Ferry Commuter Dial-A-Ride services will be notified of canceled sailings and will be in touch with customers about changes to their reservation.
I'm a monthly Fast Ferry passholder. What am I supposed to do if I have to ride WSF to Kitsap?
If Kitsap Transit cancels a fast-ferry sailing, Kitsap Transit passholders in Seattle can obtain a ticket to ride WSF by checking in with the agent at the Seattle passenger-only ferry dock and scanning their ORCA card.