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Washington State and the cluster of islands around Seattle, with a GDP double that in Scotland, has been served by Washington State Ferries in a manner that would shock ferry users in Scotland.
From KIRO Seattle, four days ago:
With the Washington State Ferry system continuing to struggle to stay at full capacity and no new boats expected until 2030, at the earliest, is it time to bring back the Mosquito Fleet?
One lawmaker is pushing the idea, and it’s getting some traction in Olympia. The towns and communities around Puget Sound and Lake Washington can thank the thousands of boats that made up the original Mosquito Fleet between the 1850s and 1930s. Any place that had a dock became a hub of activity, and towns grew around it.
Washington State Representative Greg Nance wants that back.
“We think passenger only ferries can benefit neighbors in Grays Harbor, connecting Ocean Shores and Westport, or neighbors along Lake Washington, connecting Bellevue and the University of Washington, or along the Columbia River, helping to connect folks from Vancouver and then tourists in Portland to some of the attractions, wineries and otherwise along the Columbia River,” he testified last year when his bill was introduced.
Can you imagine dozens or even hundreds of small passenger-only ferries criss-crossing Puget Sound or even Lake Washington, creating an almost unlimited list of destinations?
Passenger-only ferries? Try telling that to the folk in Millport.
How bad have things been in Washington State?
First, in Scotland with a GDP half the size of Washington State USA, the ferry service is much more punctual – 99% to 72%
Washington State Ferries in the USA – state-subsidised but no public performance penalty regime even with 72% on-time rate in Q1 FY2025 vs. 95% target.
Washington State and Scotland are comparable in population, island archipelago around largest city and ferry fleet size.
Makes you wonder what CalMac’s on-time rate was? Based on same principle of including only actual sailings, 99.57%.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24404354.sham-1000s-lost-sailings-missing-calmacs-reliability/
Washington State has a GDP per capita of $108 000:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_GDP
Scotland has a GDP per capita of only $52 000, less than half:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Scotland
So, in Scotland with a GDP half the size of Washington State USA, the ferry service is much more punctual.
Second, highlighting the great CalMac service we all enjoy by looking at affluent Washington State’s far older ferries and failing services
In the Daily Mail, 8 January 2026 and the astonishing images above from the Independent two years ago:
Almost a third of the lifeline ferries operating in Washington state are out of action because of lawmakers’ obsessions with electric boats, Republicans have claimed.
Six out of the 21 vessels used for critical operations off the coast of the Pacific Northwest state are currently unable to sail, according to the Seattle Times.
Two of the boats have been out of action due to ‘unexpected mechanical issues’ since January 1, while four are on planned maintenance, per the paper.
Washington State Ferries carry 20 million passengers a year in a state with 8 million people and a GDP of £658bn.
CalMac has 36 vessels with 5 arriving soon compared to WSF’s 15 in-service, above, carrying only 5 million passengers in country with 5.5 million people and a GDP of only £188bn.
Lots of numbers there but I think it’s clear that with less wealth to pay for them, far more ferries per passenger in Scotland.
Punctuality?
Washington State Ferries in the USA – state-subsidised but no public performance penalty regime even with 72% on-time rate in Q1 FY2025 vs. 95% target.
Makes you wonder what CalMac’s on-time rate was? Based on same principle of including only actual sailings, 99.57%.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24404354.sham-1000s-lost-sailings-missing-calmacs-reliability/
How old are the boats?
In affluent Washington State:
Washington State Ferries Assistant Secretary John Vezina spoke with the legislature last week, spelling out just how bad it is. I don’t know a lot about boats, but they have shelf lives. In the private sector, boats or ships, think cruise lines, are retired much faster than our ferries.
“Boats (in the private sector) are kept in service for 20 to 25 years,” Vezina said. “Ours are expected to last for 60.”
And that means a lot of extra money to keep them in service. The state ferry fleet is old. The oldest boat is 67.
“Five of those vessels are over 50 years old, and five are over 40, so 11 of our 21-vessel fleet is beyond the vessel lifespan that most maritime organizations would operate their vessels,” Vezina told lawmakers.
The average age of the boats is 35.
How old are the CalMac ferries?
Average age is 27 years and oldest large ferry is 43 with, of course none over 50:
Anything else that might make you think ‘Hey that CalMac could be far worse’ eh?
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