Addressing diesel vessel procurement at the Washington state ferries.

SB 6331 requires Washington State Ferries (operated by the Department of Transportation) to contract for new clean diesel vessels capable of carrying 125-140 vehicles and up to 1,200 passengers. Key provisions include a 13% credit for vessels built in Washington (to offset economic loss from out-of-state construction), a requirement to seek industry input before bidding, and a mandatory delivery deadline of December 31, 2032. The bill also exempts these contracts from standard procurement rules and mandates quarterly reports on delivery progress to the governor and legislature. This directly affects the state’s ferry procurement process, shipbuilding industry, and future ferry fleet composition.