A former Alaska Marine Lines freight barge that until recently hauled cargo between the Pacific Northwest and Alaska has been converted into a floating FIFA World Cup fan zone moored off Seattle’s Pier 62. In a roughly two-week effort at Everett Ship Repair, crews transformed the working cargo platform into an entertainment venue with a mini soccer pitch, large video screens, food concessions, and viewing areas for thousands of fans.

On June 10, Seattle-based Western Towboat shifted the converted barge from the Port of Everett to its downtown berth, with the tug Ocean Navigator making the roughly 25-mile transit into Elliott Bay, where the vessel was greeted with a Seattle Fire Department water salute before docking.

The floating venue is the centerpiece of the Seattle Soccer Celebration, developed with the RAVE Foundation — the charitable arm of Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC — and continues to host ticketed match-viewing events throughout the tournament.

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