A new ultra-low-wake ferry, the Reliance, will be added to the Bremerton-Seattle fast ferry route sometime in the near future, ensuring more frequent sailings for commuters.

The addition of the new vessel into the Bremerton-Seattle cycle will now enable ferries to run every half-hour from Bremerton instead of every hour when there was only one vessel running at a time.

The Reliance is an aluminum catamaran with a composite structure. All American Marine constructed the vessel and it currently resides in Bellingham. The vessel was designed by Teknicraft in Auckland, New Zealand. The design is based on Rich Passage 1, which has been successful with low-wake wash energy that will not degrade the shorelines of Rich Passage. The Reliance is 77 feet in length and designed to carry 118 passengers while having service speeds up to 36 knots.

The vessel will undergo multiple tests to ensure it meets specifications prior to beginning its service, according to Kitsap Transit.

The noise in the cabin and the warmth inside the vessel during the summer months are common complaints from commuters. Kitsap Transit officials said they will be looking into these complaints to ensure they are resolved for future vessels.

Other new vessels for Kitsap Transit include the 149-passenger electric hybrid vessel Waterman, which launched in February. A third sister ship, Lady Swift, is currently under construction at All American Marine and is expected to launch this summer.

Once the Reliance is delivered to Kitsap Transit, a launch date will be set.

—Tyler Shuey is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. Tyler can be reached at tshuey@soundpublishing.com

The new Kitsap Transit vessel Reliance is expected to enter service later this summer. Photo courtesy Kitsap Transit.