[3] It was announced on June 20, 2012, in The Seattle Times that State of Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond had selected the name "Olympic class" from more than 130 suggestions from department employees.

[7] Funding for a third Olympic-class vessel was authorized in the Spring 2014 session of the Washington State Legislature and the keel laying and first weld took place on December 9, 2014.

The ship underwent two months of sea trials and crew training before entering service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route at the start of the Summer 2015 sailing season on June 14.

[11] The ferries in this second series were to be powered by a hybrid diesel-electric powerplant built by ABB, with either on-board diesel engines or shore-based electrical connections charging a lithium-ion battery bank.

[12] The 2019 legislation allocated $99 million to the project, which funded design work, the purchase of major components for two ferries, and the beginning of construction on the first vessel.

[11][13] As of mid-2020, Vigor had planned to begin building the first hybrid Olympic-class ferry in 2021 for delivery in late 2023 or early 2024, contingent on the state allocating the remaining required funds in a 2021 session.