SEATTLE — A repair barge began efforts Monday morning to repair the Fauntleroy terminal in West Seattle that was damaged by a ferry during a "hard landing" in late July.
Washington State Ferries (WSF) tweeted Monday morning that a barge with a crane is repairing several offshore structures, including the one damaged in the Cathlamet incident on July 24.
The Cathlamet was docking at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal when it collided with an offshore dolphin – a structure that guides docking ferries. The collision caused significant damage to the vessel.
The dolphin, primarily made from a wood piling with steel and concrete, made a sizeable tear in the ferry’s front right side. In addition to the ferry itself, several vehicles on the ferry were also damaged, with one trapped in the wreckage.
The crash was classified by the U.S. Coast Guard as a "major marine casualty." No injuries or pollution were reported.
WSF said contractors will start demolition of the damaged piles and remove the concrete pile cap at the terminal. These are considered "temporary" repairs. Then, new piles and a new cap are expected to be installed this fall or winter. These are considered "permanent" repairs.
The repair work is not expected to have much impact on the public and will last about a week.
A spokesperson said the cost of repairs is estimated at hundreds of thousands.
Meanwhile, the Cathlamet vessel will likely be out of service through the end of the year as repair work continues. WSF estimated the damage to the ferry is "well into the millions."
The captain of the Cathlamet ferry at the time the boat collided with a terminal structure resigned on July 28, four days after the incident.
Drug and alcohol tests for the entire crew came back negative, according to a ferry spokesperson.