Vigor christens the first Olympic-class ferry
State elected, transportation and manufacturing leaders yesterday attended an official christening ceremony for the state’s first 144-car Olympic Class ferry, the M/V Tokitae, at Vigor Industrial’s shipyard in Seattle, the Group said in a press release.
Lynn Peterson, Washington’s Secretary of Transportation, served as the ship’s sponsor and broke a bottle to christen the new ferry before a crowd of more than 200 people. Speakers at the ceremony explained that the vessels will ensure safe, reliable ferry service, save taxpayers money and provide jobs for the state’s maritime workforce.
The Tokitae is the first of three 144-car ferries planned to replace the state’s aging Evergreen State-class 87-car ferries, all of which are about 60 years old. The second 144-car ferry, the Samish, is under construction now at Vigor Industrial.
Following sea trials and crew training, the Tokitae will enter service on the Mukilteo-Clinton route in June. The Samish is expected to serve the San Juan Islands beginning early next year.
Washington lawmakers also approved funding for a third 144-car ferry during the recently completed legislative session. The 144-car third ferry, still unnamed, will be built by Vigor and likely serve the Seattle-Bremerton route.
Rep. Judy Clibborn, chair of the House Transportation Committee, said that legislators committed to build new ferries both to replace the state’s aging ferry fleet and to build those vessels in Washington.
Construction of the Tokitae provided 500 jobs at Vigor and its subcontractors, including Nichols Brothers on Whidbey Island, Jesse Engineering in Tacoma, and Eltech Electric and Performance Contracting Group in Seattle. Those 500 jobs comprise about one million hours of work on the Tokitae, said Joe Corvelli, Senior Vice President of Vigor Fab, the Vigor subsidiary building the ferries.
The Tokitae was built on budget and on schedule, and the Samish is also on budget and on schedule.
The head of Washington State Ferries, David Moseley, who this week announced his resignation after six years on the job, said he felt the new vessels represent the completion of one of his goals as the leader of the ferry system.
Vessel details: Name: M/V Tokitae; Owner: Washington State Ferries; Class name: Olympic Class; Length: 362.5 ft.; Beam: 83 ft.; Draft: 24.5 ft; Capacity; 1500 passengers and 144 vehicles.
About Vigor
Vigor Industrial is a leading provider of shipbuilding, ship repair and other industrial services in Oregon, Washington and Alaska.
