The Whatcom Chief’s 2022 dry dock outage will be May 6-21. The return date is always tentative and subject to change. In recent years, the Whatcom Chief’s dry dock maintenance has happened in the fall. This year the vessel will have a spring dry dock outage for approximately 2 weeks.
Mandated repairs were cited by the US Coast Guard at the end of the fall 2021 dry dock period. Completing this work when it was first cited would have likely caused a significant delay in the vessel's return to service. Completing this work in the spring ensures proper planning and materials acquisition.
Additional details about the 2022 dry dock will be published closer to the out-of-service dates. A passenger-only ferry will provide transportation to and from the island while the Whatcom Chief is out of service. Shuttle service on the island will also be provided.
By the end of September, the Ferry Division will be in the unique position to compare and contrast the drydock outages performed at different times of the year. Some of the items we will look at are:
- Vehicle parking availability
- Passenger ferry down time due to inclement weather (disruption to emergency response, commerce, and education)
- Ridership and farebox recovery
- Shipyard availability
The Dry Dock Webpage will be updated regularly as more information becomes available.
For more information, contact the ferry division at [email protected] or 360-778-6200.