Funding for a third Olympic class 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.[1]
The name Chimacum, the gathering place of the Chemakum tribe, was chosen by the Washington State Transportation Commission in November 2014.[1]
The Chimacum has two car decks, a sun deck and a passenger deck.
She was christened on September 14, 2016 by Lynne Griffith, who at the time was serving as the head of the ferries system, the first woman to hold the office. The ceremony took place at the Vigor Industrial shipyard on Seattle's Harbor Island.[1][4] She was delivered to Washington State Ferries on April 7, 2017, with her entry into service, replacing MV Klahowya, expected in the following months.[5]
She was forced into a three-day early temporary service on May 24 after The MV Kitsap, suffered a mechanical break down and all other vessels were in maintenance until the MV Kaleetan, could replace her on the Seattle–Bremerton run to finish Sea Trials and Training.
^"144 Auto Ferry"(PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. May 8, 2006. Archived from the original(PDF) on March 27, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
