Des Moines City officials told the City Council on Jan. 9 they are pursuing permanent foot‑ferry service after a summer 2022 pilot that operated a 65‑passenger vessel between Des Moines Marina and Seattle.

The pilot logged what the city described as “15,000 unique visits,” high utilization on peak runs and generated demand data the city says led to $1,285,000 in grant awards that require no city match, according to Peter (last name not provided), the city’s marina activation consultant. “We know from the data collected … 70% would like to see permanent year‑round ferry service,” he told the council, noting the pilot was constrained by vessel size and crewing.

Why it matters: Council members framed the ferry work as a potential economic catalyst for downtown Des Moines — bringing regional visitors through the retail corridor — and as part of a broader push to ready the marina as an electrified fast‑ferry stop. City staff are seeking operation partners (King County Marine Division and Kitsap Transit were named) so Des Moines need not operate the service itself.

What council heard and asked
- Peter said the pilot’s net operating cost, after farebox recovery, was $296,000 and that the city later secured about $1.285 million in grant revenue tied to the pilot and subsequent work. He said an economic analysis contract for $160,000 had been awarded to Diedrich RPM and is expected to finish in roughly six months.
- Peter told the council the city’s approach is to attract a permanent operator (King County seen as the closest fit) and to secure legislative and grant support for operations and infrastructure.
- Council members sought clarity on how the pilot’s “15,000 unique visits” figure was counted. Peter said the industry definition used counts each paid trip as a unique visit; Councilmember Oxiger and others said that definition differs from commonly understood “unique riders” and asked for clearer breakdowns in subsequent studies.
- Several council members pressed for more information on ridership types (commute vs. recreation), schedule feasibility, and facility impacts at the marina (wear and tear from embarking/disembarking). Peter said an economic analysis, community engagement and a secondary transportation study funded with grants will address those questions.
- Peter said King County plans a demonstration run before the end of February using an existing West Seattle boat to test operational feasibility for the Des Moines route.

Grants and electrification
- City staff described multiple awardees and grant projects tied to making the Des Moines Marina capable of handling electric fast ferries: a marina electrification grant led by Clean and Prosperous Washington (project manager assigned), a $100,000 line item included in the governor’s budget to coordinate electrification for electric fast ferries, and a separate partnership with a private nonprofit, ZEV Coop, that has installed a pilot charging and car‑share station at the marina.
- Peter said the city wants the marina to “accept and charge electric fast ferries” and argued Des Moines is farther along than many Puget Sound communities on electrification readiness.

Next steps
City staff and consultants will finish the economic analysis for the ferry (expected mid‑2025), administer awarded grants, continue grant and legislative outreach to fund an operator, and coordinate with King County on a demonstration run.