Washington State Department of Ecology tweeted this {photograph} of Walla Walla grounded simply off Bainbridge Island final month.
A bit greater than two weeks after operating aground in Rich Passage, the Washington State Ferries (WSF) Jumbo-class ferry Walla Walla returned to service May 3 on the Seattle/Bremerton route. WSF says that inside and U.S. Coast Guard investigation groups decided that contaminated gasoline led to a generator failure leading to a lack of propulsion and steering controls. Backup methods had been additionally affected by the identical gasoline problem, leading to a second generator failure inside seconds of the primary.
After inspections, repairs, testing, and dock and sea trials, the vessel is again in service. The investigation into how the gasoline was contaminated is ongoing. To guarantee an identical incident doesn’t happen, all gasoline at present on board has examined clear. New, upgraded generator monitoring gauges have additionally been put in on each Walla Walla and its sister ship Spokane.
“Since ships began using liquid fuels more than 100 years ago, vessel operators and engineers have long known the hazards associated with contaminated fuel,” the Coast Guard famous in a Marine Safety Alert issued in May of final yr after a towing vessel skilled a lack of all propulsion whereas working on the Mississippi River. That lack of energy was attributed to water contamination of the gasoline.
