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Switch Maritime urges Washington to explore leased hydrogen fuel-cell ferries

Washington State Senate Transportation Committee · February 19, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Startup Switch Maritime told the Senate Transportation Committee a leased hydrogen fuel-cell ferry model could modernize Washington State Ferries affordably, citing an operational U.S. hydrogen ferry and mobile fueling that avoids shore-side charging infrastructure.

Switch Maritime told the Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 19 that Washington should study leasing hydrogen fuel-cell ferries as a capital-efficient way to renew its aging fleet.

Seamus Nolan, director of commercial and government affairs at Switch Maritime, told the committee the company proposes proviso language directing the Joint Transportation Committee to "explore the potential use of hydrogen fuel cell propulsion and the lease structure for future Washington State ferries vessel procurement." He said a leased model shifts development and operational risk to the vessel provider and delays state lease payments until the vessel receives a U.S. Coast Guard…

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