Retired WA state ferries sold for $100,000 each, heading to South America - MASHAHER

SEATTLE – Two Washington State Ferries vessels are heading to Ecuador after a combined 100 years of service in Puget Sound.

The Elwha and Klahowya have been out of commission since 2020 and 2017, respectively. WSF say the sale will alleviate costs and staffing concerns associated with storing and moving the old ferries around their docks.

Now, Nelson Armas of Ecuador has purchased the ferries for $100,000 each, with plans to recycle the steel at their green steel mill facility, according to WSF.

Western Towboat Co. will send a tug boat in to get the vessels out of Eagle Maintenance Facility on Bainbridge Island this Monday, August 19 at 9:30 a.m.

From there, Wycliffe tugboat will take the ferries on their final journey out of Puget Sound. The tug can be tracked for curious viewers on the Marine Traffic page.

Elwha holds 144 cars and was one of four Super-class ferries built in the 1960s, serving the Anacortes/Friday Harbor/Sidney, British Columbia route before transit authorities retired it on April 8, 2020.

There was an incident of cabin smoke forcing passengers to put on lifeboats and gather at the ship’s center in 2014. Later followed by engine problems in August 2017, leading to cancelled sailings from Anacortes and continued delays.

Klahowya was built in 1958, holds 87 cars, and was an Evergreen State-class vessel. It mainly served the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route before moving to the San Juan Islands interisland run in 2014.