Washington State Ferries (WSF) has announced that the entire ferry fleet of 28 vessels will now  operate on low-sulfur diesel fuel, and that tests will be conducted using ultra-low-sulfur diesel and biodiesel fuels. 

The ferry system has also upgraded its vessels with more fuel-efficient engines and made operational changes that have reduced fuel consumption and emissions.

The ferry system expects to prevent nearly 10,000 tons of pollutants as a result of all these changes.

Historically, the Washington State Ferries fleet has burned high-sulfur diesel fuel, containing 3,500 parts per million of sulfur. The ferries use nearly 20 million gallons of diesel fuel each year.

The entire ferry fleet will begin using low-sulfur diesel fuel this year. The sulfur content of this fuel is approximately 350 parts per million. The switch will eliminate 90% of sulfur dioxide emissions and at least 30% of particulate emissions from the fleet. WSF anticipates that the incremental cost increase for the low sulfur fuel will, on average, be less than $0.01 per gallon, for a total of about $150,000 a year for the entire fleet.

The biodiesel test program will begin this summer with the use of a 20% blend of biodiesel with low-sulfur diesel fuel on the Fauntleroy, Southworth and Vashon Island route. The three vessels assigned to the route (the M/V Issaquah, the M/V Klahowya, and the M/V Tillikum) will burn a total of 1.5 million gallons of the fuel blend during the one-year test period. Emissions benefits will include significant reductions in toxic contaminants, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Seattle City Light will fund the difference in cost between biodiesel and low-sulfur diesel as part of its Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program. City Light will receive credit for the greenhouse gas reductions resulting from the use of biodiesel, making the biodiesel program an element in the utility's efforts to become greenhouse gas neutral. The test will help WSF understand how its marine diesel engines respond to B20 over the long term.

WSF also will conduct a year-long test, starting this summer, of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel on the M/V Elwha, which sails from Anacortes through the San Juan Islands. The sulfur content of this cleaner fuel ranges from 15 to 30 parts per million. The Clean Air Agency and EPA Region 10 are helping to fund the ultra-low-sulfur diesel test. The test will help the ferry system determine if it is feasible to convert other vessels in the fleet to this cleaner-burning fuel.

At a press conference held on May 21, 2004, Mike Thorne, CEO of the ferry system, introduced the 'clean fuels initiatives' as part of the Ferries' Strategic Business Plan and their Safety and Environmental Protection Policy, noting how the efforts demonstrate that "strategic business planning and environmental agendas are not mutually exclusive." 

The press conference featured comments by Washington Governor Gary Locke; EPA Regional Administrator John Iani; Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Executive Director Dennis McLerran; American Lung Association Vic Chair Kim Field; and Seattle City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco. 

Governor Locke thanked WSF for embracing the goals of his Executive Order calling for sustainable practices by state agencies and applauded Washington State Ferries for taking leadership in the effort to reduce diesel emissions. “Now we can be even more proud of our ferries because of this innovative program that will improve air quality, benefiting public health and the environment.” Governor Locke praised the biodiesel program, in particular, for "setting a tremendous example".

Praise for the ferry system's innovative program was echoed by John Iani, Regional Administrator for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 (EPA). Iani praised WSF for "stepping up to the plate earlier than they would have to with this courageous effort." New EPA regulations affecting non-road engines and fuels will not begin to take effect until near the end of the decade. “The steps being taken by Washington State Ferries are very significant. The ferry system is far ahead of other marine fleet operators in addressing diesel emissions," said Iani. "We hope they will serve as an example to the rest of the nation."

Dennis McLerran, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency noted that the WSF's clean fuels initiative is a progressive approach that is a very positive step for the environment. “The good news is that our region leads the nation in converting diesel fleets to cleaner fuels and now the ferry system is expanding this remarkable regional partnership that is serving as a model for other urban areas,” said McLerran.

Seattle City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco proudly announced that City Light will fund the additional cost of the biodiesel test as part of its Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Program. He explained that the City of Seattle is committed to climate protection and a key component is City Light’s goal to become greenhouse-gas neutral. “We want to help diesel fleets convert to biodiesel, and to build a market for biodiesel that will help bring down its cost,” Carrasco explained.

The health benefits of the clean fuels program were of particular interest to Kim Field, Vice Chair of the American Lung Association of Washington. The Association’s State of the Air in Washington 2004 Report identifies diesel emissions as a major problem in the Puget Sound area, contributing to lung and heart disease, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma, among other health problems. "The use of cleaner-burning fuels will help to improve the health of Puget Sound residents," said Field.

More information on WSF's Clean Fuel Initiatives