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Alaska Marine Highway
The Alaska Marine Highway or the
Alaska Marine Highway System
(AMHS) is a ferry service operated by the
government of the
U.S. state of
Alaska.
The Alaska Marine Highway System operates along the southcentral coast
of the state, the eastern Aleutian islands and the
Inside Passage of Alaska and
British Columbia,
Canada. Ferries serve communities
in
Southeastern Alaska that have no
road access, and the vessels can transport people, freight, and
vehicles. AMHS's 3,500 miles of routes go as far south as
Bellingham,
Washington in the
contiguous United States and as far
west as
Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, with a total
of 32 terminals throughout Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. It
is part of the
National Highway System and
receives federal highway funding. It is also a form of transportation of
vehicles between the state and the contiguous United States without
going through
Canada.
The Alaska Marine Highway System is a rare example (in the USA) of a
shipping line offering regularly scheduled service for the primary
purpose of transportation rather than of leisure or entertainment.
Voyages can last many days, but, in contrast to the luxury of a typical
cruise line, cabins cost extra, and most food is served
cafeteria-style.
History
The Alaska Marine Highway was founded in
1948 by
Haines residents Steve Homer and
Ray Gelotte, who used a converted LCT-Mark VI landing craft which they christened
the
M/V Chilkoot. Their
business was purchased by the
territorial government in
1951 and renamed the Alaska Marine
Highway System in
1963. Service was extended to
Prince Rupert, British Columbia
that year, and to Bellingham in
1967.
In September 2005, the Alaska Marine Highway was
named an
All-American Road by the
Federal Highway Administration.
Communities served
The Alaska Marine Highway's main hub is in
Juneau, though administrative
offices were recently and controversially moved to
Ketchikan. Other smaller
operational hubs include
Cordova (Prince
William Sound), Ketchikan (southern
Panhandle), and
Kodiak (Southcentral Alaska).
The AMHS serves the following communities year-round:
Akutan;
Angoon;
Bellingham, Washington;
Chenega Bay;
Chignik;
Cold Bay;
Cordova;
False Pass;
Haines;
Homer;
Hoonah;
Juneau;
Kake;
Ketchikan;
King Cove;
Kodiak;
Metlakatla;
Petersburg;
Port Lions;
Prince Rupert, British Columbia;
Sand Point;
Seldovia;
Sitka;
Skagway;
Tatitlek;
Tenakee Springs;
Unalaska/Dutch Harbor;
Valdez;
Whittier;
Wrangell; and
Yakutat.
Bartlett Cove, location of the
Glacier Bay National Park ranger station and eight miles (13
km) from the community of
Gustavus, is served occasionally by
the
M/V
LeConte in summer
months.
Vessels
The following vessels, from smallest to largest, currently serve in the
Alaska Marine Highway's fleet:
-
M/V
Lituya, solely
dedicated to serving the Ketchikan-Metlakatla route.
-
M/V
Chenega (fast
ferry), operates in Prince William Sound.
-
M/V
Fairweather (fast
ferry), operates a variety of routes in Southeast Alaska.
-
M/V
Aurora, operates in
Prince William Sound.
-
M/V
LeConte, serves the
feeder communities in northern Southeast as a day boat.
-
M/V
Tustumena, serves
Southcentral and Aleutian Island communities.
-
M/V
Taku, runs mainline
throughout Southeast Alaska.
-
M/V
Malaspina, runs
mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince
Rupert or Bellingham.
-
M/V
Matanuska, runs
mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince
Rupert or Bellingham.
-
M/V
Kennicott, runs
mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince
Rupert or Bellingham and making a cross-Gulf
of Alaska trip to South-central Alaska once a month.
-
M/V
Columbia, runs
mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince
Rupert or Bellingham.
Most Alaska Marine Highway System vessels are built for multiple-day
voyages due to the large distances between ports. For example, it takes
just under three days to travel from Bellingham to Skagway, and 18 hours
for the Sitka to Juneau "milk run." Because of this, larger vessels (M/V
Tustumena and larger) come with staterooms, while all mainline
vessels have
solariums, showers, and lounges for
sleeping. Hot food services and, on the M/V
Columbia, a sit-down
restaurant are also offered.
All current vessels are named after
Alaskan glaciers.
Traffic
The AMHS carries over 350,000 passengers and 100,000 vehicles every
year. It is very popular with summer
tourists (one of the primary
reasons Bellingham and Prince Rupert are AMHS destinations). Tent cities
commonly sprout up on the aft of mainline vessels, and for budget-travelers,
the AMHS is one of the top modes of transportation to the "Last
Frontier". Service drops off significantly in winter. Vessels usually
undergo overhauls and renovations during this period due to the decline
in passenger and vehicle traffic (attributed to lack of tourists).
Politics
The ferry system has been in the spotlight in recent years over a
proposal to build a road link between Skagway and Juneau, the only
mainland
state capital in the United States
without road access. Proponents of the road have called ferry service
spotty and expensive compared to roads and say residents should be able
to come and go as they please. Critics say the very people who want the
road, the administration of Governor
Frank Murkowski, are also in charge
of the ferry system and are themselves responsible for the "spotty"
ferry service and service changes often considered illogical. As well as
the possibility for improved commerce and improved capital access, a
road would present significant environmental, financial and social
concerns that must be addressed.