Port of Olympia tells ferry owner to leave after port says contract terms not met
The former Washington state ferry at the Port of Olympia is once again in hot water.
A spokeswoman for the port said Wednesday morning the current owner of the 310-foot vessel has failed to live up to a contract recently signed by the two parties.
The owner, Bart Lematta, could not be reached early Wednesday.
That July contract, which would have kept the ferry at the marine terminal until next spring, required that the owner secure insurance for the former vessel and post a $1 million security bond, according to the contract terms.
Jennie Foglia-Jones said Wednesday the owner has failed to do both. That led port officials to terminate the contract, she said. The owner will now be charged a new moorage rate of $852 per day, plus he has been asked to leave.
The previous contract paid the port $17,000 per month.
Port officials provided a step-by-step account of what led to their decision:
▪ Ferry owner failed to obtain the required $1 million security bond.
▪ Owner failed to obtain and maintain insurance policies for his vessel.
▪ Port management met with ferry owner to verbally advise him of this issue and need for immediate correction.
▪ Owner was formally requested in writing to correct violations and failed to do so.
▪ Notice to terminate the contract was sent in writing on Sept. 21. The ferry will begin its new moorage rate under tariff rates and terms starting Sept. 22 through its departure. The new rate is $852 per 24-hour period.
▪ Owner is prepaid for moorage at his previous contracted daily rate through the end of September 2021.
The port understands that the ferry won’t be able to leave right away, Foglia-Jones said, but there is some urgency because the port is expecting new shipments of cargo.
Marine terminal director Len Faucher is forecasting a loss of revenue for the port if the ferry doesn’t move, Foglia-Jones said.
“We’re still communicating with him,” she said.
Ferry owner Lematta of Vancouver, Washington purchased the ferry at auction after the previous owner failed to pay his bills. The port later seized the vessel and had it sold at auction in November. Lematta paid $290,000 for a ferry once known as the Evergreen State.
This story was originally published September 22, 2021 at 11:13 AM.
