By Professor John Robertson, International Ferry Correspondent

From King TV, Seattle, USA, today:

Residents said they are thankful for the ferries and they are special to the area. But the shortage of boats can cause issues. Right now, three routes are not running at full service and sometimes ferries need to be moved around to help fill gaps.

“That puts us in trouble when we’re trying to get back and forth all the time and they’re down a ferry, then it’s backed up at the ferry terminal, so that gets to be a pain,” said Judy Lindquist, a Port Orchard resident.

Lindquist takes the ferry twice a month to see her mother who lives near Everett. She said it is important to be prepared for the summer months when it gets much busier.

“I’ll drive around in the summer if I have to come over on a weekend,” Lindquist said. ”I normally try to come during the week.”

WSF has 21 boats in its fleet, but only 15 are currently in service. To have all routes fully restored WSF needs 26 boats. According to a contingency plan released earlier this year, new ferries are not expected until 2028.

Washington State, USA, population 7.7 million, GDP $725 billion or £573 billion.

Scotland, population 5.5 million, GDP £212 billion.

Washington State’s GDP, adjusted for population is around twice that of Scotland.

Yet:

In 2023, (Washington State Ferries) had 1,560 annual crew cancellations while scheduling only 70% of its regular service.

In the same year, CalMac, in a country with only half the level of wealth and in more northerly, colder and stormier seas managed 95.4%.

Be careful what you wish for Reggie Mountbatten-Windsor of South Uist.

Sources:

1. https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/us/washington-state-ferries-prepare-for-busy-summer-season-still-facing-shortage-of-boats/ar-BB1mxjfZ?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1
2. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/was-farcical-ferry-fleet
3. https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser?date=21%2F02%2F2023

From an earlier report here:

August 24, 2024, in the Vashon Island Beachcomber, Seattle, USA:

Washington State Ferries (WSF) has dropped its COVID-era ferry restoration plan and now says full, lasting restoration on all of its routes will likely have to wait until the agency can get its first new ferries — at least 2028. Even though new vessels are projected to begin arriving in 2028, “full, permanent service restoration may be gradual and will remain dependent on vessel availability,” the new WSF plan says.

In 2023, Washington State USA, had a GDP of $672 billion¹. Scotland’s GDP was $218 billion², not even a third.

Despite that CalMac runs more than 500 sailings per day to 50 locations at 95% reliability³ with vessels averaging 24 years old⁴ and prices subsidised

WSF operates 21 vessels to 20 locations. For WSF, the average age is not published but 11 of the 21 are over 40 years old.^5. 

The Scottish Government subsidy to make prices affordable to all, is £29.80 per journey For WSF, subsidy data per journey is not available but a 15 minute crossing from Vashon Island to Seattle costs $27 or £22 while a comparable crossing from Largs to Cumbrae is £13.90.

Sources:

1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/188145/gdp-of-the-us-federal-state-of-washington-since-1997/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20the%20real%20gross,at%20641.14%20billion%20U.S.%20dollars.
2. https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp/bulletins/regionaleconomicactivitybygrossdomesticproductuk/1998to2021#gross-domestic-product-by-uk-country-and-region
3. https://www.calmac.co.uk/calmac-performance-data-browser
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferry_Fiasco_(Scotland)#:~:text=Delays%20and%20cancellations%20in%20recent,their%20vessels%20being%2024%20years.
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_State_Ferries