SEATTLE — Washington State Ferries recently announced the decommissioned vessels, Elwha and Klahowya, are back on the market after they terminated a purchase and sales agreement with Nelson Armas.
WSF said in August, Armas attempted to move the vessels to Ecuador, but tow equipment malfunctioned in the Puget Sound. Both boats were returned to WSF’s Eagle Harbor maintenance facility on Bainbridge Island, according toWSF.
“It’s in the best interest of Washington state, the public, and WSF to sever ties due to multiple failures to meet contractual obligations and deadlines,” said WSF Assistant Secretary Steve Nevey.
ALSO SEE: WSF bids farewell to 2 ferries after 50 years of service
WSF said they were not made aware of the concerns that were raised by the Wycliffe crew regarding subpar living conditions and fear of intimidation until they were reported in the media.
“While Armas has denied these reports, WSF places a strong emphasis on seafarer welfare,” WSF wrote on their website.
“As a career mariner who spent the early part of my career working on internationally flagged ships, seafarer welfare is deeply personal to me,” said Nevey. “Though Mr. Armas denies these claims, it’s important to reaffirm that WSF’s values prioritize the fair treatment and safety of all crew members. We take these matters seriously and are committed to incorporating these considerations into our plans for decommissioned ferries in the future.”
WSF noted that other potential buyers have shown interest, and they’ve begun engaging with the possible new owners. WSF still owns Elwha and Klahowya because they weren’t removed by the deadline mandated in the purchase and sales agreements, WSF said.
“Under default terms of the contracts, Armas forfeits the $200,000 ($100,000 per vessel) paid for the boats as damages,” WSF wrote on its website. “WSF has used some of those funds to cover costs for removing leftover fuel from the ferries. The balance of those funds will be transferred into the Puget Sound Ferry Operations Account, which is consistent with past sales of retired vessels.”
WSF continued to say a third decommissioned vessel, Hyak, is pending, and more information will be provided when the transaction is finalized. The 144-car Elwha and Hyak are two of the four “Super-class ferries” that were built in the 1960s.WSF said Elwha mainly served the Anacortes/Friday Harbor/Sidney, British Columbia route before being retired on April 8, 2020.
Hyak, which was decommissioned on June 30, 2019, was primarily used on the Seattle/Bremerton route and is now docked at Kingston terminal, according to WSF.
The 87-car Klahowya, built in 1958,mainly served the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route. WSF said Klahowya moved to the San Juan Islands interisland run in 2014. When Klahowya was decommissioned on July 1, 2017, sister ship Tillikum replaced it on the route.
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Publish date : 2024-09-05 05:39:00
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