Bremerton ferry route will have fewer boats

Seattle-Bremerton ferry service will be reduced to one auto ferry this morning so that the Edmonds-Kingston ferry route can be beefed up with a second boat.

One 144-vehicle ferry and one passenger-only boat will be in service on the Seattle-Bremerton route at the start of the day. The 188-vehicle Walla Walla had been on the Edmonds-Kingston route, but it was removed from service on Monday for repairs, with no spare vessel to replace it.

Washington State Ferries is suffering a vessel shortage because several boats are out of service for scheduled repair work.

To fill in for the Walla Walla, the 144-vehicle Hyak will be moved to the Edmonds-Kingston route, along with the 188-vehicle Spokane. The 144-vehicle Kaleetan will continue to serve the Seattle-Bremerton route.

The state is contracting with private operator Victoria Express for passenger-only service on the Seattle-Bremerton route to supplement the single auto-ferry service.

The ferry system is trying to find a way to make another vessel available as soon as possible for the Seattle-Bremerton route, but service on that route is expected to be reduced for the rest of this week.

The 6:20 a.m. sailing from Bremerton will be passenger-only service.