Replacement ship for Tustumena

[Starsteward]

Sept 18, 2016 8:04:29 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

The DOT to ask the legislature for funding to proceed this session.  If all goes well, steel could be cut as early as next year.

     I've mentioned before that the design of AMHS's new vessels is really sharp! Nice profile and of a size that with a few tweaks here and there, would be very appropriate
     for BC Ferries to use on route 40 and maybe Winter service on route 11.
     Here's hoping that the Alaska legislature gives the OK for funding to proceed as the latest condition reports on the 'Tusty' aren't good at all.

[Name Omitted]

Buried in our belated capitol budget is Alaska's portion of the Tusty replacement. We should start to see some real forward motion on this soon.

[Name Omitted]

Trump’s transportation plans may cause trouble for Marine Highway

The Tusty replacement would require at least 75 waivers for Buy American rules for pieces that are not built within the United States.  Those wavers would be approved by someone the Trump Administration has yet to appoint.


Somehow, I am not expecting a resolution for the Prince Rupert dock anytime soon, either.

[Starsteward]

Aug 15, 2017 10:43:45 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

Trump’s transportation plans may cause trouble for Marine Highway

The Tusty replacement would require at least 75 waivers for Buy American rules for pieces that are not built within the United States.  Those wavers would be approved by someone the Trump Administration has yet to appoint.


Somehow, I am not expecting a resolution for the Prince Rupert dock anytime soon, either.

    There are times when public policies adopted by governments of all stripes and at all levels are truly short-sighted while aiming to benefit the majority of the
    constituents they govern.
    Establishing good and practical public policies must include a sensible amount of pragmatism, allowing for a 'bending of the rules' in order to accomplish a
    universal objective. Rarely does any public policy meet all it's required objectives if policies are written in stone.
    It's as the old saying goes: "One is merely cutting off ones' nose to spite their face" 
     

[Name Omitted]

The article is mostly about the Tazlina (and I am posting it there), but there is an important throw-away line that confirms the Tusty replacement is still being held up over buy-American waivers.

[Blue Bus Fan]

Name Omitted , do you know if they have started construction on this vessel? I am wonder because they hasn’t because there hasn’t been update in while.

[Name Omitted]

Feb 26, 2021 22:10:05 GMT -8 Blue Bus Fan said:

Name Omitted , do you know if they have started construction on this vessel? I am wonder because they hasn’t because there hasn’t been update in while.

As far as I know, we are still waiting on some necessary "buy American" waivers for parts that are not made in America.  The Trump Administration did not fully staff the office that could have approved the waivers, and the Biden Administration has not gotten to it yet.

I suspect we'll have some news fairly soon.

[Blue Bus Fan]

Feb 27, 2021 22:28:36 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

Feb 26, 2021 22:10:05 GMT -8 Blue Bus Fan said:

Name Omitted , do you know if they have started construction on this vessel? I am wonder because they hasn’t because there hasn’t been update in while.

As far as I know, we are still waiting on some necessary "buy American" waivers for parts that are not made in America.  The Trump Administration did not fully staff the office that could have approved the waivers, and the Biden Administration has not gotten to it yet.

I suspect we'll have some news fairly soon.

Hopefully Biden Administration give waivers for the parts on this vessel that does not meet Buy American within the new few months.


Hopefully they can start construction within the this year.

[Name Omitted]

Jul 30, 2015 20:23:10 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

Jul 30, 2015 10:28:33 GMT -8 @qpr said:

Now if I can just get a ride on the Tustumena out to Dutch Harbor before she is retired that would be great!

Yeah... the speed at which things are going, you probably still have 5 years or so to make that happen.

I was re-reading this thread, and the date on this post caught me.  

6 years on, and we have not started cutting steel yet.  Or, really, sourcing steel.  Or... you know... put out a bid for construction.  

[compdude787]

Yeah, it's crazy how long this has taken. Five years ago, I would have thought that this vessel would be built or at least under construction by now.

[Name Omitted]

Dunleavy administration unveils 5-year plan to replace aging Tustumena ferry with new vessel

Anyone reading this thread knows just how much the Dunleavy administration has had to do with this actually happening.  But still, it's good to see that Alaska thinks it can get the necessary waivers for the Buy American act to actually start cutting metal.

[Name Omitted]

I was looking to fix the broken links in this thread, following the AMHS long history of shifting things within their website, and I ran across the following:

Tustumena Replacement Design Refresh

It's a PowerPoint with not much substance, but it appears that the new Tusty has increased the beam by 3' and increased the length at the waterline for stability and handling, increased the height of the forecastle and bridge, and added pod propulsion.

The latest part marks a huge change for AMHS.  Reading the scoping papers for just about everything built since the fast ferries, and they were all about conventional craft pushing screws with shafts. 

I'll see if I can find better information somewhere.


Edit to add: There are actually some significant changes to the plan of the ship.  Far from being a 'refresh,' this is a new design iteration worthy of review and discussion.  The promenade has been removed from the accommodation deck which, when combined with 5' of beam, gives them a lot more interior room to work with.  A deck has been wrapped around the forward lounge that replaces much of the lost deck space.  The passenger capacity has not increased, but there are 22 more passenger births, and 40 lane-feet more car deck space.

[Kahloke]

Dec 6, 2021 15:37:01 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

Dunleavy administration unveils 5-year plan to replace aging Tustumena ferry with new vessel

Anyone reading this thread knows just how much the Dunleavy administration has had to do with this actually happening.  But still, it's good to see that Alaska thinks it can get the necessary waivers for the Buy American act to actually start cutting metal.

Glad to see they are actually moving forward with this new-build.  It seems like AMHS has been hanging by a thread - it's very existence even threatened - so the news that the "Tusty" replacement project is still on the books is promising.

[Neil]

Dec 7, 2021 9:00:49 GMT -8 Kahloke said:

Dec 6, 2021 15:37:01 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

Dunleavy administration unveils 5-year plan to replace aging Tustumena ferry with new vessel

Anyone reading this thread knows just how much the Dunleavy administration has had to do with this actually happening.  But still, it's good to see that Alaska thinks it can get the necessary waivers for the Buy American act to actually start cutting metal.

Glad to see they are actually moving forward with this new-build.  It seems like AMHS has been hanging by a thread - it's very existence even threatened - so the news that the "Tusty" replacement project is still on the books is promising.

...but a five year time line to launch? Even if they were starting from scratch, that seems excessive, unless there is no shipyard capacity presently.

[Name Omitted]

Dec 7, 2021 9:30:06 GMT -8 Neil said:

Dec 7, 2021 9:00:49 GMT -8 Kahloke said:

Glad to see they are actually moving forward with this new-build.  It seems like AMHS has been hanging by a thread - it's very existence even threatened - so the news that the "Tusty" replacement project is still on the books is promising.

...but a five year time line to launch? Even if they were starting from scratch, that seems excessive, unless there is no shipyard capacity presently.

Especially when you look earlier in the thread at the 18 month timeline.

[Name Omitted]

I messed up the link above.  The drawings of the new version of the ship:


Tustemena Replacement Vessel Design Refresh

[Name Omitted]

State looking for bidders in replacement for M/V/ Tustumena

The Alaska Marine Highway System issued a request for proposals this week to replace the M/V Tustumena.
...

It’s estimated to cost $200 million to $250 million and will be competitively bid. This week’s RFP is the first phase of the project, for preconstruction services. That includes design validation, constructability review and cost estimation. There’s no estimate yet on when construction will begin but the ship is scheduled to start service around 2027.

[Name Omitted]

DOT pursues hybrid design for Tustumena replacement

The Tustumena’s two diesel engines currently use about 150 gallons of fuel per hour at cruising speed. [Greg Jennings, Special Projects Liaison with the state transportation department] says adding electric power will allow captains to use just one diesel engine at times. He says that’s expected to cut fuel consumption by 1%.



“So if you look year over year, over the lifetime use of the vessel, that’s a major savings to the state,” Jennings said. “One percent may not sound like a lot, but in ship design, you go to immense lengths to get 1% savings, because it’s like every day you operate that vessel that’s 1% you’re saving fuel.”

...

Jennings says adding battery power to the Tustumena replacement vessel — known as the TRV — will allow the state to learn about the technology and prepare for other projects in the future.



“We’re looking at operating the TRV for the next 50 years, you know, nominally,” Jennings said. “And if we don’t design in some capacity for batterie now, the state’s going to have to pay a much bigger cost in the future to try to fit it into a vessel that wasn’t designed for it. So again, there’s a really big future proofing benefit to this.”

[ancflyer]

Oct 27, 2022 12:17:17 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

DOT pursues hybrid design for Tustumena replacement

The Tustumena’s two diesel engines currently use about 150 gallons of fuel per hour at cruising speed. [Greg Jennings, Special Projects Liaison with the state transportation department] says adding electric power will allow captains to use just one diesel engine at times. He says that’s expected to cut fuel consumption by 1%.



“So if you look year over year, over the lifetime use of the vessel, that’s a major savings to the state,” Jennings said. “One percent may not sound like a lot, but in ship design, you go to immense lengths to get 1% savings, because it’s like every day you operate that vessel that’s 1% you’re saving fuel.”

...

Jennings says adding battery power to the Tustumena replacement vessel — known as the TRV — will allow the state to learn about the technology and prepare for other projects in the future.



“We’re looking at operating the TRV for the next 50 years, you know, nominally,” Jennings said. “And if we don’t design in some capacity for batterie now, the state’s going to have to pay a much bigger cost in the future to try to fit it into a vessel that wasn’t designed for it. So again, there’s a really big future proofing benefit to this.”

So, the State has managed to delay the ship even longer.  You know, I'll be in my grave before TRV is actually in the water.  

[Name Omitted]

A bit late, but worth an update anyway:


AMHS Requests Proposals for Tustumena Replacement Vessel


Construction Manager / General Contractor procurement is new for Alaska.  It will be interesting to see how well it works.