The christening marks the CHIMACUM's final stage of construction and its preparation for sea trials.

The 144-car CHIMACUM will begin its sea trials in early 2017 and will start carrying passengers on the Seattle/Bremerton route next spring. The Washington State Transportation Commission selected the vessel name in 2014 to honor the gathering place of the CHIMACUM people, which is now the present day town of CHIMACUM near Port Townsend.

CHIMACUM is the third of four funded Olympic Class ferries that replace the aging, midcentury-era Evergreen State Class vessels. The first Olympic Class vessel, TOKITAE, joined the Mukilteo/Clinton route in June 2014. The second, SAMISH, started service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route in June 2015. SUQUAMISH, the fourth vessel in the class, is under construction at Vigor and will enter service in 2019.