Glosten Selected to Design Skagit County Vehicle/Passenger Ferry

    SEATTLE, WA, August 30, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Skagit County has selected Glosten, a Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy, to design a vehicle/passenger ferry to replace the historic M/V Guemes.

The Guemes has provided service between Anacortes and Guemes Island, WA since 1979, and is nearing the end of its economic useful life. With a capacity of 99 passengers and 21 vehicles, the vessel forms a primary mode of transit for residents of and visitors to Guemes Island. "This ferry is a critical transportation link in our community," remarked Captain Rachel Rowe, Ferry Operations Division Manager. "We are pleased to work with an accomplished team like Glosten to design the vessel that will serve this island for years to come."

Skagit County has a vision of replacing the aging Guemes with an all-electric vessel. To support this vision, one of Glosten's early tasks is to quantitatively evaluate propulsion system options, including electric, hybrid, and geared diesel - an objective analysis that has not been performed to date. This study will give the county the information needed to be confident in their selection of a propulsion system.

Glosten has designed and modified passenger vessels for agencies across North America, including Alaska, British Columbia, California, New York, and Washington. The firm has proven expertise in hybrid and electric propulsion technology; staff recently designed a hybrid passenger-only ferry for Kitsap Transit, and are currently developing Alabama's Gee's Bend all-electric ferry conversion. "What excites us about the Skagit vessel is the opportunity to shape the future of transit for a community," commented Glosten Project Manager / Design Lead William Moon III, PE. "We are committed to supporting the county's vision of an all-electric ferry, and are ready to put in the work to develop a vessel that can serve this county for another forty years."

Glosten, a Seattle-based engineering consultancy founded in 1958, is recognized throughout the marine industry for providing innovative solutions to clients' challenging problems, integrating advanced analysis with practical, experience-based design. Glosten expertise includes Naval Architecture, Ocean Engineering & Analysis, Marine Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Detail/Production Design. Glosten is the parent company to Noise Control Engineering, LLC, a premier acoustical and structural engineering consultancy specializing in noise and vibration measurement and control for marine, industrial, commercial, and military applications.

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