Washington State Ferries selects systems integrator for shore power effort

Washington State Ferries (WSF) has awarded a systems integrator contract to Siemens Energy to support the ferry operator’s long-term fleet electrification and decarbonisation strategy.

“This project is an important step in modernising our fleet for the decades ahead,” said WSF electrification program administrator, David Sowers. He said the contract will allow the agency “to take a bold step forward to build the infrastructure needed to support a more resilient, reliable, and future-ready ferry system.”

WSF is undertaking a system-wide fleet electrification effort, retrofitting existing vessels, building new hybrid-electric ferries to replace aging diesel-powered vessels, and investing in shoreside charging infrastructure. The agency has a long-term plan to construct 16 hybrid-electric ferries by 2040.

It has converted the Olympic-class Wenatchee to hybrid-electric propulsion and, in 2025, awarded a contract to Eastern Shipbuilding Group to build two 1,500-passenger, 160-vehicle hybrid-electric ferries with energy storage systems and shoreside charging connections.

Ferries represent the single largest consumer of diesel fuel in the state’s government operations, making WSF’s electrification program a significant step towards reducing fossil fuel use while improving air quality in the Puget Sound region.

As the largest ferry system in the United States and one of the largest in North America, WSF serves nearly 25M passengers annually across 10 routes. This project will deliver electrical infrastructure for high-power shore-side charging to support hybrid-electric and future battery-electric ferry operations.

Under the contract, Siemens Energy will provide engineering, systems integration, and electrical infrastructure expertise to support medium voltage shore power at WSF terminals. The systems integrator will oversee system design, equipment supply and integration, and coordination to meet WSF’s evolving fleet plans.