Final Dorado-class ferry launched from La Conner shipyard, bound for San Francisco

A large passenger ferry labeled "San Francisco Bay Ferry" is being hoisted into the air at night by two massive red cranes. The vessel is painted in bright white with blue, green, and black accents and appears freshly constructed. Several workers wearing hard hats and reflective vests stand nearby, supervising the lift and observing the operation. Bright floodlights illuminate the scene, casting sharp shadows and reflecting off the wet pavement, suggesting light rain or mist. A vehicle marked "OVERSIZE LOAD" is parked next to the cranes, and the ferry is being positioned over a large transport trailer.

The ferry MV Zalophus sits in the Swinomish Channel awaiting tow to G Dock, marking the final launch in Mavrik Marine’s seven-year partnership with San Francisco Bay Ferry. Photo by Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community News

3–5 minutes

Under the glow of floodlights and the lift of towering cranes, the MV Zalophus slipped into the Swinomish Channel just after 2 a.m. Tuesday, marking the final launch in a seven-year partnership between Mavrik Marine and the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. It will be at Mavrik’s dock for about a month undergoing final configuration and testing.

The 137-foot high-speed aluminum catamaran is the fourth and last of the Dorado-class ferries built by La Conner-based Mavrik Marine for the San Francisco Bay Area’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). The Zalophus, like its sister ship Karl, is powered by Tier 4-compliant diesel engines — making them among the cleanest-burning ferries of their size in the nation.

“This is the end of our diesel boats,” said Alexis Matsui, WETA’s public information officer. “We’ll still have the cleanest diesel fleet in the country, and the Zalophus gives us greater capacity and more options to serve commuters.”

At night, a large catamaran ferry named "ZALOPHUS" with “San Francisco Bay Ferry” branding is being carefully lowered into the water by a towering red crane. The ferry is painted with bright blue, white, green, and black accents. A few people in jackets and reflective gear observe the operation from the grassy shoreline, while others stand further back near construction equipment and floodlights. Yellow lifting straps and cables secure the vessel, and its hull gently touches the water's surface near a wooded shoreline under a dark sky.
Workers look on as Barnhart Crane Company lifted, turned, then lowered the San Francisco Bay Ferry vessel Zalophus into the Swinomish Channel early July 22 in La Conner. It marked the first time cranes of this size were used locally to lift a ferry into the water. Photo by Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community News

A symbol of growth, recovery

The timing is fortuitous. WETA announced in June that ridership on the San Francisco Bay Ferry system had fully rebounded from pandemic lows. In May 2025, systemwide ferry ridership reached 279,000 — just surpassing pre-pandemic levels of 276,000 in May 2019.

“With commuters returning to the office and weekend ridership booming, we’re not just recovering. We’re growing,” Matsui said. “These boats are fast, clean, comfortable, and riders love them.”

The Zalophus will serve multiple routes across the bay, including the popular North Bay commuter line from Vallejo to San Francisco, a stretch underserved by other public transit.

Clean tech meets practical design

The Zalophus’s four diesel engines are part of a new generation of low-emission marine technology. The boat’s Tier-4 system includes particulate filters and urea-based exhaust treatment, similar to the systems used in modern diesel trucks.

“These are the most efficient diesel-powered ferries available of this size,” said Bailey Shewchuk of Mavrik Marine. “They’re clean, they’re fast, and they’re optimized for the long-haul routes where electric boats can’t yet compete.”

The vessel can exceed 40 knots and offers the same total horsepower as earlier Dorado-class boats, which used twin engines. The switch to four smaller Tier-4 engines improves operational efficiency without sacrificing speed, Shewchuk said.

In San Francisco, the Zalophus will cost 44% less to operate than older vessels in the fleet.

Barnhart Crane Company lifted, turned, then lowered the ferry Zalophus into the Swinomish Channel. From there, it was just a short tow to G Dock, where it will stay for a bit while systems are checked. After that, sea trials before it heads to its new home in San Francisco. This marked the first time cranes of this size were used locally to lift a ferry into the water.
Video by Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community News

Mavrik’s moment

Founded in Bellingham in 2014, Mavrik moved to the Port of Skagit in search of space to grow. Now employing 85 people, the company adds 10 to 15 new workers each year and focuses on building vessels in the 60- to 160-foot range — a niche between boutique boatbuilders and the large shipyards that construct Washington State Ferries.

It is the largest tenant of the Port of Skagit, with 75,000 square feet of climate-controlled production space.

Mavrik serves clients from Hawaii to Alaska and all along the Pacific Coast, where its vessels are used in passenger transit and whale-watching excursions. The company is currently building a sightseeing vessel for Clipper Vacations in Seattle.

A local name with maritime roots

The Zalophus gets its name from a student-led public naming contest held by WETA. Karl, the ferry launched just before it, was named after the famous San Francisco fog. Zalophus is the scientific name for the California sea lion — a nod to the marine life that shares the bay.

The student who submitted the winning name will participate in the ferry’s christening ceremony later this summer.

“This whole series has had a local spirit,” Matsui said. “We’re proud of the vessels and proud of the people who built them.”

Kari Mar is editor and publisher of La Conner Community News.

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