Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Ferry system finally sells Steel Electrics 6/22/09 • Four old ferries sold for scrap 6/23/09   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, April 2, 2009 For scrap or not, old ferries must go By Scott North Herald Writer SEATTLE -- Slow progress on a proposal to spare Washington's oldest ferries from the scrap heap has ferry officials again looking for options to get rid of the octogenarian boats. The state needs to free up limited maintenance and repair space at Eagle Harbor, which is now occupied by the retired Steel Electric-class vessels, said Marta Coursey, communications director for the ferry system. The ferry system urgently needs the moorage space for work on boats actively being used in the fleet, she said. Managing Green LLC, a Tacoma real estate development firm, in February made a bid to purchase all four Steel Electrics for a total price of $650,000. The Tacoma company still is looking for moorage locations. It wants to keep the 81-year-old Klickitat, Illahee, Quinault and Nisqually intact and use them as floating waterfront space for businesses. That's already happened to a sister ferry, the Enetai, now called the Santa Rosa, which is moored in San Francisco. On Tuesday, however, state officials spoke with Environmental Recycling Systems. It earlier had lined up a deal to scrap the vessels in a Mexican ship-breaking yard, a plan that was put on hold, however, because of declining steel prices. The recycling company now is preparing two new proposals, expected within a week, Coursey said. One plan would still see the vessels scrapped. The alternate would move the boats out of the U.S. for potential operation in foreign waters. The old ferries can't return to service in the U.S. because they do not meet Coast Guard standards for watertight compartments. Repeated engineering studies had earlier determined that trying to upgrade them is not economically practical. The Steel Electrics were retired in November 2007 amid questions about cracks, leaks and corrosion in their hulls. Ferry officials have made clear to both companies interested in the old boats that getting them out of Eagle Harbor is the top priority, Coursey said. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Shot ends search for man sought in killing of Seattle police officer 2. Thousands honor slain Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton 3. No charge will be filed in death of Everett pedestrian 4. Rain, thunderstorms forecast for lowlands 5. Bothell steamrolls Stanwood 6. PREP FOOTBALL/SWIMMING ROUNDUP: Halfback pass for touchdown sparks Sultan win 7. More jibba-jabba 8. Obama OK's homebuyer tax credit 9. Suspect identified in Seattle police killing 10. Dana nibbles into Somers’ lead 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Gough on track to keep job • Jazz vocalist headlines NPAC • Mountlake Terrace makes football history • Tax revenue sagging, city budgets lagging • ‘Touch of Magic' show opens at Gallery North • Jackson repeats as South champs • Holiday Bazaars Calendar • Meadowdale storms back to grab title • Edmonds moves to Fire District 1 • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million