Tag: ferry service

A blue and white ferry in the left hand side of the image sails in foggy weather and a foggy mountain in the background

Alaska ferry planners working on lean winter schedule

In most cases, only one ferry will be assigned to each route with no slack in the system.

Revisiting Sailing the Aleutians on the MV Tustumena

The Alaska Marine Highway has been in the news a lot this summer with talk of big budget cuts and a ferry worker strike. Adam was aboard the Tustumena on a trip out to to Dutch Harbor and spoke with several of his fellow travelers about what the State Ferry means to them.

Alaska ferry system won’t require passengers to wear masks…for now

The Alaska Marine Highway System says that with low traffic, it's still possible to keep social distance aboard ferries.
A blue and white ferry in the left hand side of the image sails in foggy weather and a foggy mountain in the background

DOT: Alaska ferries to receive $5M in federal stimulus cash

An initial $5 million in federal stimulus funding will go to the state ferry system. That’s according to a Thursday statement from the state...
A ferry at a dock with a mountain in the background at twilight

Alaska Marine Highway won’t expand ferry service until COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased

The ferry system says it is developing a reduced service schedule to match the drop in demand and crew availability.
A blue and white ferry in the left hand side of the image sails in foggy weather and a foggy mountain in the background

State says ferry repairs are on schedule, but COVID-19 concerns will delay return to service

While repair work has been allowed to continue, some personnel essential for safety certification and provisioning the boat aren't allowed to return to work.

Lawmakers approve $66.7M appropriation to run Alaska ferries

The Legislature has approved a budget that lawmakers say should keep the Alaska Marine Highway System running year-round. In the past year, cost cutting, a summer labor strike and mechanical failures resulted in months-long service gaps, both planned and unplanned, for Alaska’s ferry system.

You can still get your car from Haines to Juneau without the ferry, but it’ll cost you a lot more

Alaska Marine Lines’ (AML) barges usually move one to three vehicles per week. But after regional ferry service shut down in January, that number skyrocketed.
A ferry at a dock with a mountain in the background at twilight

Alaska lawmakers seek oversight over ferry fleet’s fate

A three-line piece of legislation would prohibit the state from selling, transferring or disposing of a state ferry without express approval by lawmakers.
An aerial image of Angoon shows buildings on a small peninsula next to several other inlets.

Angoon school asks Coast Guard to make food delivery during ferry shutdown

In Southeast Alaska, some schools have used the Alaska Marine Highway System to transport the food from Juneau. But that's not happening now.

LISTEN: It’ll take more than money to bring the Alaska Marine Highway back to life

The ferry system is completely offline right now, with residents facing empty shelves and upended plans. Temporary contractors may help in the short term, but what will it cost Alaskans and what's the long term solution?

Delays to Matanuska repairs mean limited ferry service likely to persist across Southeast Alaska

Service on the state ferry Matanuska may not resume in early March as repairs to the fleet’s sole operating mainliner have yet to begin.

Dunleavy names nine to ferries working group

A former Coast Guard admiral and pipeline executive will head Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s advisory group on the state ferry system.

As ferry disruption drags on, grocery shelves in small Southeast Alaska communities go bare

As the shutdown in regional ferry service continues, communities like Angoon, Gustavus, Hoonah and others that rely on ferries are desperately seeking options to get the things they need.
A white woman in a blue jcket

Push begins in the Legislature to restore ferry service

House lawmakers have taken a first step to bolster funding to the Alaska Marine Highway System.

In Haines, ferry chaos has made medical travel costs skyrocket

When seniors need to get to Juneau for those specialized appointments they have to travel by boat or plane. If they have mobility issues that limits their transportation options.

With Alaska ferries in chaos, island timber and fish businesses wonder who will carry their freight to market

The breakdown of the Alaska Marine Highway system has left many towns struggling to bring in building supplies, groceries and other goods. But for some businesses, the challenge of getting freight out of town is just as urgent.

From Ketchikan to Unalaska, a day of protests, anxiety and anger over a dysfunctional ferry system

Hundreds of people rallied around the state Tuesday to restore the Alaska Marine Highway System’s regional ferry service. The fleet has been largely idle since the last mainliner in service broke down last month.

With no ferry service this winter, Cordova’s economy feels the pinch

The last mainline ferry broke down last week, leaving travelers stranded. For many communities, including Cordova, the ferry is their only link to the state’s road system beyond flights.

Alaska Marine Highway shuts down regional service till March

Ferry service in Southeast Alaska will remain shutdown at least until March. That’s following news that the regional ferry in service — the Matanuska —...