EDMONDS — The Edmonds-Kingston ferry route was running with one boat Monday after the M/V Issaquah replaced a boat that broke down on the Seattle-Bremerton route.
The disruption was expected to last “until further notice” and cause lengthy delays, Washington State Ferries spokesperson Ian Sterling said.
There was no second vessel available this week to fill in on the Edmonds route, and no timeline for when one will become available.
The Chimacum ferry broke a rod in one of its engines Saturday. At the time, it was the sole vessel operating between Seattle and Bremerton. The Chimacum can carry 144 vehicles.
The Issaquah, with a 124-vehicle capacity, will fill in.
Meanwhile, the Spokane is the only boat running from Edmonds to Kingston. It can hold 188 cars.
The reduction in service has been a systematic issue, Sterling said, as there were about 15 of the usual 21 ferries in operation due to unexpected breakdowns. Staff numbers have also been lower than usual, he added, contributing to the shortage.
“To put it into perspective, I’ve never seen it this way,” Sterling said. “I’ve been here for nine years.”
The Seattle-Bremerton route had about 1 million total riders in 2022, with about 60% of those traveling without a vehicle, according to state data.
The Edmonds-Kingston route had 3.1 million riders. Over half of those traveled with vehicles.
Ashley Nash: 425-339-3037; ashley.nash@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @ash_nash00.
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