en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 5, Eastern Shipbuilding Group cut the first steel plate for Washington State's new hybrid ferry in Panama City, Florida, marking the start of physical construction for the first vessel, the Wishkah. Washington State Ferries also confirmed the exercise of the contract option for a third vessel on the same day, with the three ferries scheduled for delivery in 2030, 2031, and 2032, respectively.

The three ferries were ordered by Washington State Ferries, with a total shipbuilding contract price of $714.5 million. Including costs for owner-furnished equipment, construction management, crew training, and contingency reserves, the total project cost for the three vessels is estimated at $1.15 billion, below the $1.3 billion budget previously approved by the Washington State Legislature.

The new vessels, designed by Elliott Bay Design Group, are approximately 124.8 meters in length overall and 25.4 meters in beam, capable of carrying 160 standard passenger vehicles and 1,500 passengers, with a full-load service speed of 17 knots. The vessels will use a water-cooled battery energy storage system as the primary power source, with diesel generators configured as backup power, and will be compatible with Washington State Ferries' existing terminal infrastructure.

The battery system will be supplied by Corvus Energy, with ABB responsible for integrating the hybrid propulsion system. The first vessel, the Wishkah, is expected to enter service in 2030, with the initial new vessels planned for the Mukilteo–Clinton and Seattle–Bremerton routes.

Washington State selected Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build the new vessels in July 2025, with contract signing and construction authorization completed in August of the same year. This steel cutting marks the first physical construction milestone following contract signing and represents the first time in over a decade that Washington State Ferries has initiated construction of new ferries.