PORT TOWNSEND — The North Olympic Peninsula’s water link to the northern Interstate 5 corridor was severed Tuesday morning when the MV Klickitat was idled by engine troubles.

The situation, however, should be relieved by midday today when a similar-size vessel is brought in from the San Juan Islands.

“There was an electrical problem with one of the Klickitat’s engines,” Susan Harris, Washington State Ferries spokeswoman, said Tuesday.

The disabled ferry affected six ferry runs on Tuesday and has the potential of affecting three or four scheduled ferry runs today.

The problem was discovered while the vessel was en route from Whidbey Island’s Keystone terminal to the Port Townsend dock, Harris said.

At 11 a.m., the MV Klickitat was taken out of service and at about 3:30 p.m., using its one good engine, the ferry was moved to the tie-up slip at the Port Townsend terminal for repairs.

Harris said the MV Illahee, normally used for the inner San Juan Islands runs, is expected to be moved into Port Townsend’s terminal at about 10:15 a.m. to relieve the Klickitat.