Sen. Drew MacEwen today called for the in-state construction of more ferries to meet the needs of Washingtonians and tourists visiting the region.
MacEwen was responding to Gov. Bob Ferguson’s announcement that the electric-power conversion of two state ferries will be delayed until after Seattle hosts the World Cup in 2026.
“It is crucial that we build more ferries for our state fleet,” said MacEwen, R-Shelton, who also serves as Deputy Senate Republican Leader. “Residents rely heavily on these ferries to get to and from work and school and to make other necessary trips. It’s also a huge tourist attraction and economic driver for our region.
“Unfortunately, our ferry fleet and our ferry service have not lived up to the standards that we need and Washington taxpayers deserve.”
WSF operates the largest public-ferry system in the country, serving more than 19,148,000 total annual riders (10 million passengers and 9 million vehicles) in 2024. It is a division of the state Department of Transportation and operates 10 routes serving 20 terminals within Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. To service these routes, WSF maintains a fleet of 21 vessels.
MacEwen says a larger, more reliable fleet is vital to the communities he represents in the 35th Legislative District, which includes Mason County and parts of Thurston County and ferry-reliant Kitsap County.
“It is vital for our state that we build more boats, and we build them soon. I’m not opposed to new technologies and having electric-driven ferries, but the reality is that the technology is not yet there to mass-produce these boats. We need to look at building diesel-efficient ferries while we wait for technology to catch up with other forms of propulsion.
“We can do this, but we need to drop the bureaucratic barriers that are out there and get our people the service that they are paying for and that they deserve. We also need to be reforming how we’re handling our ferry workers. We need to expedite more training, more education, and more pathways to get more workers into our system so that people can adequately rely on the ferry service that we have in this state.”
Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, agrees.
“The governor’s confidence is appreciated, but the communities that rely on our ferries every day need more than just promises—they need reliable service now,” said Muzzall. “While I support efforts to restore staffing levels, we must ensure that our shipbuilding process is efficient and cost-effective, not bogged down by delays and political considerations. Bid flexibility is a step in the right direction, but we need real accountability to get ferries built and in service.”
MacEwen pointed out that one way to help ensure new ship construction is by Washington taking advantage of President Donald Trump’s emphasis on new domestic shipbuilding capacity.
“In the governor’s inaugural speech in January, he said that we would work hand-in-hand with the Trump administration when practical and when we have agreement; this is an area where that exists,” MacEwen added. “In his address to the nation the other night, President Trump called out the need for more shipbuilding across this nation.
“Washington is a leader in this industry — between our Navy and our ferry infrastructure. This is an opportunity for our governor and the president’s administration to work together to serve the needs of this state.”