MV Tacoma

The MV Tacoma is a Jumbo Mark II Class ferry operated by Washington State Ferries. Launched in 1997, it was the first in its class in the Washington State Ferries fleet. Since delivery, the Tacoma has almost exclusively been assigned to the Seattle-Bainbridge Island route.

MV Tacoma approaching Bainbridge
History
Name: MV Tacoma
Owner: WSDOT
Operator: Washington State Ferries
Port of registry: Seattle, Washington
Route: Seattle-Bainbridge Island
Builder: Todd Pacific Shipyards, Seattle, Washington
Cost: $80 million[1]
Launched: August 29, 1996
Acquired: August 18, 1997
Maiden voyage: October 17, 1997
In service: October 17, 1997
Identification:
Status: In service
Notes: Out of service between July 29, 2014 and March 27, 2015 due to catastrophic failure of electrical system.
General characteristics
Class and type: Jumbo Mark II Class auto/passenger ferry
Length: 460 ft 2 in (140.3 m)
Beam: 90 ft (27.4 m)
Draft: 17 ft 3 in (5.3 m)
Deck clearance: 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Installed power: Total 16,000 hp from 4 x EMD 16-710G Diesel-Electric engines
Speed: 18 kn (21 mph; 33 km/h)
Capacity:
  • 2500 passengers
  • 202 vehicles (max 60 commercial)

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

Electrical failure

On July 29, 2014, the vessel suffered a catastrophic electrical failure, in which most of the ship's electrical system was destroyed. The Tacoma came to a stop in Eagle Harbor and dropped anchor to prevent her from beaching making it the "second time in 40 years that a state ferry was forced to drop anchor." [2]. The MV Sealth, which was serving the Seattle-Bremerton route at the time, made a detour up to Eagle Harbor to tow the Tacoma away from shore until tugboats could guide her back to the slip. The Tacoma remained out of service for nearly nine months while repairs were made. After four weeks of sea trials and approval from the Coast Guard, the Tacoma returned to service on the Seattle-Bainbridge route on March 28, 2015.[3]

References
  1. Nalder, Eric (March 5, 1999). "Giant New Ferries Experience Bad Vibrations -- $52,000 Per Ship To Remove Shaking `As Bad As The Old Kalakala'". The Seattle Times.
  2. Kelly, Brian (August 1, 2014). "UPDATE: Dead in the water: Ferry Tacoma strands hundreds due to power loss during sailing". The Bainbridge Island Review.
  3. "The jumbo ferry MV Tacoma returns to work". Seattle Times. April 3, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2016.


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