Tacoma-Seattle fast ferry 'unlikely' to launch ahead of World Cup

A proposed fast passenger ferry between Tacoma and Seattle is "unlikely" to hit the water ahead of the World Cup as officials had hoped.

In September 2025, Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello made a proposal to Port of Tacoma commissioners to make it easier for people to get to and from Tacoma during the World Cup matches hosted at Seattle's Lumen Field. He wanted to roll out two 29-passenger, 100% electric "high-end water taxis" between the two cities this June, in time for the games, and continue service under a pilot program for a year.

"We've long wanted to figure out how we [can] harness the water to move people around Puget Sound more efficiently and, dare I say, more enjoyably," Mello told the Port of Tacoma Commission on Sept. 16.

His vision might come to the Sound yet, but not in time for the games.

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"Discussions are still ongoing to pursue a new electric foot ferry, and while we had hoped to debut this in time for the World Cup as a legacy project, we are unlikely to meet that ambitious timeline," Pierce County Economic Development Department spokesperson Andriana Fletcher told KUOW in an email this week.

Fletcher said "many factors" contributed to the delay, among them "disruptions to federal government operations that affected the Coast Guard's vessel inspection and certification process."

"While the program is moving ahead, there is no set timeline," Fletcher said in response to follow-up questions.

The pitch in September was ambitious.

Pierce County's director of economic development at the time, Betty Baublits, proposed eight daily trips between Tacoma and Seattle, serviced by two vessels from an Irish company called Artemis Technologies; Baublits said the boats would be leased from one of the company's investors.

But a lot needed to happen between then and now, including getting Coast Guard approval and ensuring the infrastructure to support the service existed on either side of the route. In an email, Fletcher told KUOW that officials with Pierce County, King County, and the Port of Tacoma have been discussing charging and docking locations, considering various private and public funding options, and working to ensure the vessel design and operation will meet Coast Guard requirements.

The proposal wasn't cheap.

Baublits said the Pierce County lodging tax pledged $2 million to help fund the plan — if officials could secure another $2 million from other partners.

"So, we have the seed money, which is about six months of operation, but we need the other six months to make it all work," Baublits said in September.

They were looking for four "founding partners" to invest $500,000 each, promising advertising on the boats and "other fun things" in return.

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Port of Tacoma commissioners expressed support at the time, generally, for ferry service to Seattle but some skepticism for this particular proposal.

"I'm just concerned about our ability to make it happen by June," Commissioner Dick Marzano said in September. "I love that idea, but I've got to be practical about it. Like, gosh, is this really going to work based upon that timeframe? Especially when you're asking for investors to step forward. What are we investing in? What's the long-term implication? And what happens after the [World Cup]?"

Those questions remain.

KUOW has requested more information about the delays and future of the proposal. KUOW has also reached out to Artemis Technologies for comment.

Check out the full Pierce County Economic Development presentation below, or watch the Sept. 16 Port of Tacoma Commission meeting here.