M/V Waterman docks in Bremerton. The Waterman is currently out of service indefinitely due to mechanical issues with the vessel’s battery.
The Annapolis/Bremerton foot ferry service remains suspended indefinitely due to a shortage of operating vessels. In response, Kitsap Transit has increased the frequency of sailings on the Port Orchard/Bremerton route to meet rider demand during peak commute hours.
Annapolis ferry service was suspended on Oct. 22, 2026, when M/V Waterman was taken out of service due to mechanical issues. Put into service in 2019, the Waterman was on the cutting edge of innovation as the first hybrid-electric commercial passenger ferry in the Pacific Northwest. The ferry’s unique, high-efficiency propulsion system features diesel generators that power a 40-kWh battery bank on each side of the boat, with no direct connection between the diesel generator and the vessel’s propeller. Each battery bank consists of seven water-cooled lithium-ion batteries.
When Waterman’s propulsion system failed, Kitsap Transit traced the issue to one of the on-board batteries and shipped it to a repair facility. The facility determined the battery was damaged beyond repair. The battery’s manufacturer has exited the market, and no other marine battery meets the software and hardware requirements of the propulsion system.
What are we doing to restore service?
Kitsap Transit is working as quickly as it can to restore service on the Annapolis route:
We’re working with a shipyard to expedite repairs and maintenance on the Carlisle II so it can operate service in December.
We’re looking for commercial passenger vessels to charter that meet Kitsap Transit’s operating requirements.
We’re in discussion with Glosten, the naval architecture and marine engineering firm that designed Waterman, on a path forward for the one-of-a-kind vessel.
The Admiral Pete, which is currently operating service on the Port Orchard/Bremerton route, is scheduled to be taken out of service in mid-January for dry dock maintenance required by the Coast Guard every two years.
During that period, Kitsap Transit will be operating Carlisle II on the Port Orchard/Bremerton route without a backup vessel.