SEATTLE — The state’s oldest ferry has been decommissioned and will be put up for sale soon.
The Evergreen State, which has served largely in the San Juan Islands during its 62-year career, was originally slated for decommissioning last spring but was called back into service over the summer while other vessels were out of service for maintenance or repairs, Washington State Ferries said.
Potential buyers interested in the 87-car ferry, which was built in 1954 and has World War II surplus drive motors, will be able to bid for the vessel once it’s posted for sale through the state surplus process.
Two additional 144-car Olympic Class ferries are under construction.
“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,” said Elizabeth Kosa, Washington State Ferries chief of staff.
She said difficulty in locating replacement parts and maintaining a vintage vessel also were factors in deciding to retire the ferry.
The Evergreen State was the largest ferry on the West Coast when it was built to serve on the Seattle/Bainbridge route. However, it spent most of its career in the San Juan Islands.
