Washington State Ferries is exploring an option to use liquefied natural gas as a source of fuel for its Issaquah Class ferries.
LNG is used worldwide and provides an opportunity to reduce fuel costs, and better the environment by decreasing emissions, according to authorities.
Washington State Ferries burns more than 17 million gallons of fuel each year. Fuel is our fastest growing operating expense. The fuel budget today is over 30 percent of the FY11-13 operating budget, compared to 12 percent in FY00-01. The fuel cost savings moving from diesel to LNG is approximately 40-50 percent at today’s pricing, authorities said.
