MV Wenatchee

MV Wenatchee is a Jumbo Mark-II-class ferry operated by Washington State Ferries. Launched in 1998, she was the second in her class in the fleet following the MV Tacoma. Since delivery, the Wenatchee has almost exclusively been assigned to the busy Seattle–Bainbridge Island route alongside the Tacoma.

MV Wenatchee docking at Colman Dock in Seattle

MV Wenatchee departing Bainbridge maintenance facility in 2025
History
Name	Wenatchee
Owner	Washington State Department of Transportation
Operator	Washington State Ferries
Port of registry	Seattle, Washington
Route	Seattle–Bainbridge Island
Builder	Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington
Cost	$80 million[1]
Completed	1998
Identification	IMO number: 9137351 MMSI number: 366749710 Callsign: WCY3378
Status	In Service
General characteristics
Class & type	Jumbo Mark-II-class auto/passenger ferry
Displacement	6,184 long tons (6,283 t)
Length	460 ft 2 in (140.3 m)
Beam	90 ft (27.4 m)
Draft	17 ft 3 in (5.3 m)
Decks	5 (2 vehicle decks, passenger deck, sun deck, nav bridge deck)
Deck clearance	15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Installed power	16,000 hp (12,000 kW) total from two EMD 710 V-16 diesel engine GenSets
Propulsion	Diesel–electric hybrid
Speed	18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) (service, using two engines) 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) (maximum, using four engines)
Capacity	2,499 passengers 202 vehicles (max 60 tall vehicles)

The Wenatchee and her older sister ship, the Tacoma, suffered from excessive vibration during their early period of operation, until she was repaired during routine maintenance in 1999. The issue was addressed in the final Jumbo Mark-II ferry, the MV Puyallup, before she launched.^[1]

The Jumbo Mark-II fleet is planned to be converted to diesel-electric hybrid beginning in 2023. The conversion is part of a state-mandated reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and will be funded by part of a settlement from the Volkswagen emissions scandal.^[2] The Wenatchee is the first of the fleet to undergo conversion, which began in September 2023 and was scheduled to take one year to complete.^[3] Due to differences between the blueprints and the boat's condition, as well as other issues, the conversion's completion was delayed to mid-2025.^[4]

In April 2021, during sea trials following engine overhauls, the vessel suffered an engine fire and lost power, which led to an ongoing investigation by the US Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board.^[5]

The conversion to a hybrid system was completed in July 2025 at a total cost of $133 million.^[6] She returned to service on the Bainbridge Island–Seattle route on July 18, becoming the first hybrid electric vessel to enter the Washington State Ferries fleet.^[7] A month later, the Wenatchee was removed from service after two of its four drive motors temporarily went offline on arrival at Colman Dock in Seattle, creating a momentary power outage. She was moved to WSF's Eagle Harbor maintenance facility and was found to have issues with the control system's communication wires that caused intermittent stability.^[8]

Incidents

In 2000, during a particularly low tide, she touched bottom while rounding Tyee Shoal at the entrance of Bainbridge Island's Eagle Harbor, resulting in minor keel and propeller damage. On August 30, 2009, she had a collision with the slip at Colman Dock in Seattle. There was heavy fog at the time and the vessel and slip were out of service for four days.^{[citation needed]}