# MV Chelan

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/MV_Chelan
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/MV_Chelan.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Chelan
> Source revision: 1326578097
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Auto/passenger ferry operated by Washington State

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Please help improve this article by citing more sources. Find sources: "MV Chelan" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2021)

MV Chelan Chelan at Friday Harbor, 2013 History Owner Washington State Department of Transportation Operator Washington State Ferries Port of registry Seattle, Washington Route Anacortes–San Juan Islands–Sidney, BC Builder Marine Power and Equipment, Seattle, Washington Completed 1981 Identification IMO number: 7808140 MMSI number: 366709770 Callsign: WCX7878 Official Number: 643291 Status In service General characteristics [1] Class & type Issaquah-class auto/passenger ferry Tonnage 2,477 gross tonnage (GT) Displacement 3,310 long tons (3,360 t) Length 328 ft (100 m) Beam 78 ft 8 in (23.98 m) Draft 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) Decks 4 (2 auto decks, passenger deck, nav bridge deck) Deck clearance 15 ft 6 in (4.72 m) Propulsion 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) total from two diesel engines Speed 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) Capacity 1,200 passengers (1,090 on international service) 124 vehicles (24 tall vehicles)

The **MV *Chelan*** is an [*Issaquah*-class](/source/Issaquah-class_ferry) [ferry](/source/Ferry) operated by [Washington State Ferries](/source/Washington_State_Ferries), completed and in service in 1981. In 2004, the vessel was refit with a second vehicle deck, and in 2005 was refit with safety equipment to meet the requirements of the [International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea](/source/International_Convention_for_the_Safety_of_Life_at_Sea) (SOLAS), allowing the *Chelan* to make international trips on the [Anacortes–San Juan Islands–Sidney, British Columbia](/source/Anacortes%E2%80%93San_Juan_Islands_ferry) route. As of April 2020[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MV_Chelan&action=edit) the *Chelan* is the only vessel in the Washington State Ferries fleet that meets SOLAS standards.

## History

The *Chelan* was built in 1981, as an *Issaquah*-class ferry, for service on the [Edmonds–Kingston ferry](/source/Edmonds%E2%80%93Kingston_ferry) route. In the early 1990s, ridership on the Edmonds–Kingston route had grown to the extent that the *Chelan* could not handle capacity, and she was replaced on this route by a second [Super-class ferry](/source/Super-class_ferry).

The *Chelan* was kept in reserve to serve as a replacement ferry. On many of the routes she would serve, she would replace an *Issaquah*-class ferry that had been refit with a second vehicle deck, and the *Chelan* would cause service disruptions by carrying fewer vehicles.

In 2004, she was refit, much like her sister ships to include a second vehicle deck along the outer bulkheads.

After changes in [United States Coast Guard](/source/United_States_Coast_Guard) rules for international travel, the *Chelan* was upgraded in 2005 safety equipment to meet the requirements of the [International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea](/source/International_Convention_for_the_Safety_of_Life_at_Sea) (SOLAS). She is currently the only vessel in the WSF fleet to meet these standards, making it the only ship that can make the international crossing to [Sidney, British Columbia](/source/Sidney%2C_British_Columbia). The safety equipment requirements of SOLAS limit the *Chelan* to 1,090 passengers when making international trips, as opposed to the 1,200 she can carry on domestic crossings. During the SOLAS refit, the interior of the *Chelan* was also updated to match the other *Issaquah*-class ferries, with one notable addition, the *Chelan* also has a small [duty-free shop](/source/Duty-free_shop) onboard.

Because of her SOLAS capability, the *Chelan* serves the [Anacortes–San Juan Islands–Sidney, BC](/source/Anacortes%E2%80%93San_Juan_Islands_ferry) route during spring, summer and fall, and typically stays on the domestic service between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands during the winter.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-vessel_info_1-0)** ["M/V Chelan"](http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/your_wsf/our_fleet/index.cfm?vessel_id=32). *Washington State Dept of Transportation*. 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.

v t e Washington State Ferries Routes Anacortes–San Juan Islands Edmonds–Kingston Fauntleroy–Vashon–Southworth Mukilteo–Clinton Point Defiance–Tahlequah Port Townsend–Coupeville Seattle–Bainbridge Island Seattle–Bremerton Terminals Colman Dock (Seattle) Other Public art Current fleet Evergreen State class MV Tillikum Super class MV Kaleetan MV Yakima Jumbo class MV Spokane MV Walla Walla Issaquah class MV Issaquah MV Kittitas MV Kitsap MV Cathlamet MV Chelan MV Sealth Jumbo Mark-II class MV Tacoma MV Wenatchee MV Puyallup Kwa-di Tabil class MV Chetzemoka MV Salish MV Kennewick Olympic class MV Tokitae MV Samish MV Chimacum MV Suquamish MV Wishkah (future) Retired fleet Wood Electric class MV Chetzemoka (1927) MV Kehloken MV Klahanie Steel Electric class MV Enetai MV Illahee MV Klickitat MV Nisqually MV Quinault MV Willapa Evergreen State class MV Evergreen State MV Klahowya Super class MV Hyak MV Elwha Skagit Kalama class MV Kalama MV Skagit Passenger-Only Fast Ferry class MV Chinook MV Snohomish No class MV Chippewa MV Crosline MV Hiyu MV Kalakala MV Kitsap (1925) MV Kulshan MV Leschi MV Olympic MV Rhododendron MV Rosario SS San Mateo SS Shasta MV Skansonia MV Tyee MV Vashon

This ferry article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Ferry-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3AFerry-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Ferry-stub)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [MV Chelan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Chelan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Chelan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.