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You know that ferry moored at the Port of Olympia? It’s for sale -- on eBay

Berthed behind the nearly 600 foot-long cargo ship Enishi, the former Washington state ferry Evergreen State has been moored at the Port of Olympia for nearly two years. Now, it’s for sale on eBay.
Berthed behind the nearly 600 foot-long cargo ship Enishi, the former Washington state ferry Evergreen State has been moored at the Port of Olympia for nearly two years. Now, it’s for sale on eBay. sbloom@theolympian.com

The former Washington state ferry that has been moored at the Port of Olympia for nearly two years is for sale on the online auction site eBay, according to listing information.

The ferry is listed for sale under a 10-day auction. Bidding starts at $100,000. The seller’s account is “tv_guru” and shows eight previous sales.

“The RoRo (Roll On, Roll Off) vessel is in great shape and has been upgraded with features required by Panama Canal for passage,” the listing reads. “Vessel has new batteries and all mechanical systems are ready to go! This vessel can be set up for the Ultimate Live-A-Board, Floating Waterfront Event Center, Floating Hotel and/or whatever you can imagine you have abundant space to do it!”

The listing also claims the scrap value of the ferry is worth more than $1 million.

A business called Jones Broadcasting paid $300,000 for the ferry, formerly known as The Evergreen State, then paid to have it moored at the port to get it ready for transport to Florida. That plan never materialized.

The buyer also on at least two occasions fell behind on making payments to the port.

Port officials said in a statement Wednesday that the ferry owner, Greg Jones of Jones Global Investment LLC, notified the port late Tuesday about the eBay listing.

The port said it would work with Jones to accommodate any potential buyers.

Since April 2018, the ferry owner has paid more than $80,000 to the port for the cost to moor the ferry. His most recent payment to the port was on Jan. 2. However, a balance is currently due for the months of December and January, according to the port.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 9:57 AM.

Rolf Boone
The Olympian
Rolf has worked at The Olympian since August 2005. He covers breaking news, the city of Lacey and business for the paper. Rolf graduated from The Evergreen State College in 1990. Support my work with a digital subscription
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