Washington state's oldest ferry decommissioned

Officials with the Washington State Ferries (WSF) agency made it official late last week that they have decommissioned the oldest ferry in the state.

The M/V Evergreen State was built in 1954 and was able to carry 87 cars, using its World War II-surplus drive motors. It has carried countless vehicles and passengers for over 60 years.

Officials originally planned to decommission the ferry last spring. During the summer, other ferries needed to be removed from the travel schedule for repairs or maintenance. This gave the ferry a reprieve for another few months.

The ferry has been part of numerous rescues at sea, including saving an overturned kayaker in 2003, as it spent most of its time among the San Juan Islands.

“The recent addition of two modern, larger and faster Olympic Class vessels to the fleet means the Evergreen State is no longer the best solution for moving people and goods across our state’s waters,” WSF Chief of Staff Elizabeth Kosa said. “While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye, difficulty locating replacement parts and maintaining a vintage vessel are also factors that make it time for the E-State to retire.”

Soon, the ferry will be up for sale. Anyone interested in buying this piece of history will be allowed to bid for the ferry when it enters the state-surplus system.