MV Hiyu

The MV "Hiyu" is a ferry boat operated by Washington State Ferries.

The "Hiyu" was originally built in 1967 in Portland, Oregon to replace the aging MV "Skansonia" on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah run. For nearly her entire career she worked the short route between Vashon Island and Tacoma, but was eventually replaced due to increasing traffic.

Washington State Ferries reassigned her to the San Juan Islands where she served as the inter-island boat, serving San Juan Island, Orcas Island, Shaw Island and Lopez Island. The "Hiyu"'s small size became and issue once again on the San Juan route, and that route was taken over by a larger vessel. The MV "Nisqually" replaced her.

She was mothballed for over 10 years at Washington State Ferry's Eagle Harbor facility. During that period, she was used as a WSF training vessel. She was contracted out for service for a time at Anderson Island when the MV "Christine Anderson" needed emergency repairs. She has been used in some movies and television commercials.

Because of her one-compartment design, the ferry cannot cross charted traffic lanes, nor be more than a mile from shore, which limits her use.

On June 13, 2007, Washington State Ferries put the "Hiyu" in service once again due to a shortage of operational ferries. She has recently operated on a relief basis on the Point Defiance - Tahlequah route and on the San Juan Island inter-island route.

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