WSF Weekly Report | Morocco conference; 2 rescues; high school trades; readying for Standard Time; Happy Halloween

||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES |||

A message from Steve

This week, I went to Morocco to attend the 48th Annual Interferry Conference, a global event that’s an important investment in our system’s future. As a public agency, we’re judicious with taxpayer money for travel. But this conference gives us access to ferry leaders, industry experts and vendors, helping us stay on top of new technology and improvements that benefit service in Washington. My role on the Interferry board allows us to help shape the ferry industry and ensures our interests are represented. It also connects us with leaders in fleet electrification, sustainability and safety. These partnerships have been key to modernizing our fleet, reducing environmental impact and improving service efficiency.

I participated in a panel discussion with leaders of some of the world’s largest ferry operators, including Matteo Catani from Italy’s GNY, Panos Dikaios of Attica Group in Greece, Nicolas Jimenez from Canada’s BC Ferries and Elisabeth Lönne of Stena Line in Sweden.

It’s important to recognize that Washington State Ferries is part of a global maritime community with similar challenges and opportunities. Issues like safety, security, sustainability and new technology are common for ferry systems around the world. At Interferry, I connected with this community by joining a panel with other ferry leaders to talk about decarbonization, community engagement and crew shortages. I also met vendors leading in new maritime technology, like propulsion systems and reservation systems, and shared ideas with other operators on common problems and possible solutions.

Our Senior Director of Quality, Health, Safety & Environment Kevin Bartoy also represented us at Interferry. He went over our sustainability efforts during a session about building the next generation of sustainable vessels from the perspectives of shipbuilders, designers and operators.

Washington State Ferries at MarineLog’s FERRIES 2024 conference

We were also well represented at Marine Log’s FERRIES 2024 conference this week. Our Senior Director of External Relations John Vezina gave a presentation on our Service Contingency Plan and why all ferry systems should have one. System Electrification Administrator Matt von Ruden joined a panel to discuss our electrification efforts along with experts from ABB Marine & Ports, Siemens Energy, and Elliott Bay Design Group. This year’s conference brought maritime professionals to Seattle to network, learn about new technologies and share lessons learned in the pursuit of more efficient ferry systems. Thanks to John and Matt for representing us and helping expand our understanding of new ideas in community engagement, ferry design, construction, and operations.

Senior Director of External Relations John Vezina explains our Service Contingency Plan and community engagement efforts to FERRIES 2024 conference attendees at Seattle’s Hyatt at Olive 8 on Tuesday.

Two rescues in one weekend for Kitsap crew

The same crew working aboard Kitsap saved lives on back-to-back days over the weekend. On Saturday, they worked with local police and fire departments to pull a woman out of the water near the dock at Mukilteo. Then on Sunday, the same crew launched a rescue boat to save a kayaker who capsized near Mukilteo. Our priority is to ensure not only the safety of our passengers, but everyone navigating the Salish Sea. Thank you to the crews involved and our Mukilteo terminal staff, as well as the various local emergency response agencies for your lifesaving work.

Able-Bodied Sailors Ian Fels and Collin Brasfield pull a kayaker out of the water and into a rescue boat off Mukilteo on Sunday. A different deck crew working aboard Kitsap responded to reports of an empty kayak later that day. They recovered the watercraft but found no kayaker.

Showing off our careers in trades to high schoolers

Employees from our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility, human resources and the fleet showed local high schoolers our trades jobs at the annual Try-A-Trade event. The interactive career fair is put on by Core Plus Maritime. It brings in hundreds of students interested in hands-on careers, mostly juniors and seniors in shop classes. This is an important recruiting event that will help us bring young, local mariners and tradespeople onto our team.

Able-Bodied Sailor Anthony Adams talks to a Try-A-Trade attendees at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds Events Center on Oct. 23.

Several employees from our Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility set up a station in the parking lot for the high schoolers to try their hands at welding.

Fauntleroy terminal project advisory group meetings

The Fauntleroy terminal replacement project brought together its technical and community advisory groups last week to discuss our approach to construction. The project team presented information on construction phasing, the construction delivery method and impacts to the community and ferry service during construction. The meeting also revisited the recent Good To Go! and advance ticketing study. The next advisory group meetings will cover the Level 3 screening process. You can find recordings of these recent meetings and register to attend future meetings in the community engagement section of the project website.

End of daylight saving time and our schedules

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3. The full sailing day of Saturday, Nov. 2, will start and end on Pacific Daylight Time. Terminals and vessels will turn their clocks back one hour after the end of the full Saturday sailing schedule. The sailing day starting on Sunday, Nov. 3, will be under Pacific Standard Time.

Happy Halloween

It’s Halloween and I thought we’d celebrate by sharing some spooky photos taken by our employees. Wishing everyone a safe Halloween night!

Photo by Capt. Genevieve Fritschen (left) and Ordinary Sailor Josh Young (right)

Photos by Ticket Seller/Attendant Raphael Fontanilla (left) and Ordinary Sailor Ashley Ulrich (right).

Sailing stats for week of Oct. 21-27

For the week of Oct. 21-27, we completed 98.5% of our 2,787 scheduled sailings. Of our 44 cancellations, 18 were due to crewing, five for schedule resets (when a boat is so far behind schedule, we cancel a sailing to get it back on schedule, providing predictability for customers), three because of emergencies, one due to other miscellaneous reasons and 17 were due to a fuel barge and tug blocking Kittitas from entering service on Oct. 25, following overnight fueling.

Customer kudos

“Sailing from Vashon to Fauntleroy, sitting at a table in the main passenger deck, my 10 year old son was shuffling a deck of cards when a WSF team member walked by, looking like he was getting off of his shift and getting ready to go home. With a smile, the ferry worker casually asked him if he knew any card tricks. He was surprised when my kid said that as a matter of fact he did! He then took time out of his day as he watched a couple of card tricks my son had been practicing for weeks. His genuine friendliness and readiness to engage absolutely made my son’s day, and created a happy memory for him. Journey enhanced!”

-Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route customer