Washington State Ferries crippled by engine crew sickout, governor pledges restoration

Washington State Ferries cancelled or severely reduced service on most of its Puget Sound routes on Monday after 23 engine-room employees called in sick, leaving 13 of the system’s 18 vessels unavailable. The shortage triggered the U.S. Coast Guard’s staffing requirements, forcing the agency to suspend sailings on key routes such as Seattle-Bainbridge Island, Edmonds-Kingston and the Fauntleroy-Southworth-Vashon line.

Spokesperson Justin Fujioka said the agency was prioritising at least one vessel for island-served communities but acknowledged the “major challenge” for commuters. He added that the situation would depend on staffing developments over the next 12 to 24 hours.

Governor Bob Ferguson issued a statement saying he expected all ferries to be operating by Tuesday morning and emphasized his commitment to improving staffing levels. > “My expectation is that every vessel on every route is fully operational no later than the first vessel sailing tomorrow morning.”

The sickout occurred amid ongoing labor tensions between the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) and the ferry system over wages and work conditions. A union spokesperson denied involvement in the call-ins, describing the incident as a “frantic cry for help” from workers facing long hours and reduced staffing levels. The union argues that previous staffing cuts have left the system vulnerable to disruptions when engineers are absent.

As of Monday morning, no ferries were running on the Seattle-Bainbridge, Edmonds-Kingston, or Vashon-Southworth-Fauntleroy routes, while limited service continued on the Mukilteo-Clinton and Port Townsend-Coupeville lines. The disruptions affected thousands of commuters, including residents who rely on the ferries for daily travel and school-related activities.