Ferry owner says he plans to move Olympia-based vessel in the next 30 days
The new owner of the former Washington state ferry that has been docked at the Port of Olympia for nearly three years said Monday he plans to move the 310-foot vessel in the next 30 days.
Bart Lematta of Vancouver, Wash., who was the winning bidder for the ferry late last year, said he is getting insurance and a vessel survey before he makes his next move.
Lematta said one possibility is to move the ferry to Oregon, although he declined to name a specific site.
Port spokeswoman Jennie Foglia-Jones confirmed Lematta’s plan.
Lematta said he is paying a daily rate to dock the ferry at the port instead of signing a contract agreement with the port. The contract would have required he have insurance for the vessel, so he didn’t want to sign it before actually getting the insurance. He’s not looking to get into trouble, Lematta said.
“I’m trying to be a good guy,” he said.
Lematta said that if he is unable to move the ferry in the next 30 days, he guaranteed it will be gone before the Ready Reserve Fleet ships arrive.
The port has agreed to berth the Admiral W.M. Callaghan and Cape Orlando, both of which measure more than 600 feet. They are part of the Ready Reserve Fleet that is part of the U.S. Maritime Administration, The Olympian reported. The U.S. Maritime Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The two ships are expected here in March and would occupy Berth 1 on the marine terminal — the current location of the ferry.
“My financing is secure,” said Lematta. He has invested in electric car maker Tesla, and he has ties to a family helicopter business started by his father, who later became a noted philanthropist.
Lematta said he remains committed to using renewable energy and exploring whether he can power the vessel with it.
“It’s central to everything I am,” he said about his interest in renewable energy sources, adding that he believes in sustainable jobs and a sustainable environment, wanting to give “future generations something to look forward to.”
Lematta paid $290,000 for the ferry at auction, a purchase he said he considers one of the “best purchases of my life.”
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
