PORT TOWNSEND — All sailings of the the Steilacoom II were canceled today, while state ferries system crews rebuild one of the 50-car ferry’s auxiliary generators.
Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division shut down service after the 7:30 p.m. Wednesday sailing from Keystone, docking the ferry in Port Townsend.
Engineers expert service between Port Townsend and Keystone on Whidbey Island to resume Friday morning.
Ferry riders are advised to use the Mukilteo-Clinton and Edmonds-Kingston routes for travel between the North Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island.
Last week, Port Townsend-Keystone ferry service was canceled from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday because of a failure of one of the two auxiliary generators on the Steilacoom II.
The auxiliary generators are necessary to operate the vessel. They provide power for all of the vessel’s critical equipment.
After last week’s problem, crews performed preventive work and identified the need for a complete rebuild of the second auxiliary generator. The work must be performed this week to ensure the continuing operation of the generator.
State ferries system officials said the work was being scheduled to take advantage of previously scheduled tidal cancellations on the Port Townsend-Keystone route this week.