MV Kennewick is a Kwa-di Tabil Class ferry planned to enter service in 2012 for Washington State Ferries

Washington State Ferries

Washington State Ferries is a passenger and automobile ferry service owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation that serves communities on Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands. It is the most used ferry system in the world and the largest passenger and automobile...

.

Characteristics

Kennewick will measure 273 inch in length, have a beam of 64 feet (19.5 m), a draft of 11 feet (3.4 m) and a displacement of 2,050 tons. She will have a capacity of 64 vehicles and 750 passengers, and will have a crew of eight.

History

The name Kennewick was chosen on 13 July 2010, after being suggested by Michael Fox, a resident of Washington's Bainbridge Island. The ship was built at Vigor Shipyards, formerly Todd Pacific Shipyards

Todd Pacific Shipyards

Vigor Shipyards was founded in 1916 as the William H. Todd Corporation through the merger of Robins Dry Dock & Repair Company of Erie Basin, Brooklyn, New York, the Tietjen & Long Dry Dock Company of Hoboken, New Jersey, and the Seattle Construction and Dry Dock Company...

. She was launched on 27 May 2011, with her upper decks and interior still incomplete, and christened by Judy Clibborn, the Washington House Transportation Chairwoman. After her launch, Kennewick was to have construction completed at Vigor Shipyards, before being moved to Everett, Washington to be outfitted.

Kennewick began her sea trials on 6 October 2011, before her demonstrations to Washington State Ferries and the US Coast Guard began on 12 October. Upon completion of the demonstrations, Washington State Ferries took delivery of the vessel on 31 October 2011, beginning further trials and crew training before Kennewick begins operation between Port Townsend

Port Townsend, Washington

Port Townsend is a city in Jefferson County, Washington, United States, approximately north-northwest of Seattle . The population was 9,113 at the 2010 census an increase of 9.3% over the 2000 census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County...

 and Coupeville

Coupeville, Washington

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,723 people, 737 households, and 426 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,346.7 people per square mile . There were 814 housing units at an average density of 636.2 per square mile...

in January 2012.