SEATTLE — Some corrosion was found inside the hull of the state’s second-oldest operational ferry, and additional inspection will be required next week, officials said Saturday.
Inspectors found corrosion in the engine room of the Evergreen State, built in 1954, when they examined the ferry Saturday. The ferry is planned to be inspected again Friday after crews clean away some of the corrosion that was found, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Todd Howard said.
Inspection of the Rhododendron, the oldest ferry still being operated by Washington State Ferries, was planned to begin late Saturday and expected to conclude early today. The Rhododendron was built in 1947.
“The Rhododendron is the next-oldest one from the Steel Electrics, and the Evergreen State was the next oldest after that,” Howard said. “These are the two oldest, and we’ll just have to see.”
The Coast Guard ordered inspections for a dozen Washington state ferries after the state’s 80-year-old Steel Electric-class boats were pulled from service in November.
The Steel Electrics were retired because of severe corrosion in their hulls.
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