Hydrofoil ferry prototype gets funding, contingent on the election

Kitsap Transit, Glosten and Bieker Boats announced they have secured a total of $5.2 million in state funding to build a prototype of an all-electric hydrofoil fast ferry. This scaled-down version will carry 15 passengers instead of the original 150-passenger design.

“Now that Foil Ferry has this funding, we have the chance to demonstrate how hydrofoil vessels could one day transport commuters crossing the Puget Sound and replace conventional diesel-fueled fast ferries,” said Lisa Renehan, managing director of Fast Ferry LLC and chief financial officer at Glosten, in a news release.

Kitsap Transit said that building the full-scale version of the ferry will require federal funding. 

Why it's on my radar:

It's been a couple years since the futuristic rendering of the hydrofoil ferry design made headlines and grabbed the public’s attention. Now, a key funding piece has fallen into place. That’s a testament to the ambitious vision of these naval engineers, and the slow process that is new (innovative) boat construction.

“This technology represents a giant step forward in efficiency for high-speed transportation over water,” said Paul Bieker, a well-known foiling boat designer and project partner.

But, regardless of the design’s merits, the future remains uncertain even for this prototype ferry due to Initiative 2117 on the November ballot. One of several voter initiatives, I-2117 would repeal Washington state’s Climate Commitment Act. Of the $5.2 million in funding, $4 million is a state Legislature grant that is contingent upon the act not being repealed.

Funding is a key component to this story. Numerous other ferry projects have received significant federal funding in the last two years, but this particular project hasn’t made the list (it did receive a smaller R&D grant from the FTA in 2020).

How much funding for the full-scale, 150-passenger ferry and charging infrastructure? At least $18 million, based on Kitsap Transit’s unsuccessful Federal Transit Administration grant application.

If this locally-designed hydrofoil ferry can secure the funding and demonstrate they’ve successfully re-imagined passenger ferry transit, then it will be a major achievement in Pacific Northwest maritime history. Stay tuned for lift off!

Learn more:

A number of local news outlets, including the Washington State Standard and my colleague Bellamy Pailthorp at KNKX, are closely following I-2117 as part of their election coverage. More to come from Future Tides on its implications for the maritime sector.

Additional information about the design and project is available on Kitsap Transit, Glosten and Bieker Boats’ websites.