Name MV Chelan Completed 1981
Refit 2004 | Owner WSDOT Length 100 m | |
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Operator Washington State Ferries Port of registry Seattle, Washington, United States Route Summer Anacortes-Sidney, BC; Off-Season Varies Builder Marine Power and Equipment | ||
The MV Chelan is an Issaquah 130 Class ferry operated by Washington State Ferries, completed and in service in 1981.
History
The Chelan was built in 1981, as an Issaquah Class ferry, for service on the Edmonds-Kingston route. In the early 1990s, ridership on the Edmonds-Kingston route had grown to the extent that the Chelan could not handle capacity, and she was replaced on this route by a second Super-class vessel. The Chelan was kept in reserve to serve as replacement ferry. On many of the routes she would serve, she would replace a larger Issaquah 130 ferry, causing service disruptions by carrying fewer vehicles. In 2004, she was refit, much like her sister ships to include a second vehicle deck along the outer bulkheads. After changes in Coast Guard rules for international travel, the Chelan was upgraded in 2005 to meet the SOLAS standards. As a result of the SOLAS upgrades, the Chelan often makes the international crossing to Sidney, British Columbia, although the Elwha, the other vessel with the SOLAS standards, usually operates on this route during fall and early spring operations. The refit also coincided with the modification of the interior layout of the Chelan to match that of its sister-ships, which had their interiors upgraded beginning in the early 2000s. The exception on the Chelan is the addition of a duty free area on board for the international crossings. The Chelan usually serves the international route, as well as domestic service between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands during spring, summer and fall. In winter, she variously operates on the Anacortes–San Juans, Fauntleroy–Vashon–Southworth ferry, Mukilteo–Clinton and Seattle–Bremerton routes.
