Alaska Ferries - general thread

[Deleted]

AMHS winter 2020-2021 sched now up. Looks like mv Kennicott will be solo on the Bellingham run this winter arriving and departing every 2nd Saturdays.

dot.alaska.gov/amhs/service_notices.shtml?fbclid=IwAR01MjwJRavnVOJKHQ5NXH0bgGU5rnjHCTgGoQ6o-rqdkFsLT6q9GOIC5Dk

Note: Matanuska returns in Feb to the Bellingham run.

[Neil]

As a somewhat irregular follower of AMHS, I was shocked to look at their website this evening and see that the entire active non- Bellingham fleet for February consists of the Le Conte and Lituya. The little 35 car Le Conte... for the entire panhandle, and she doesn't even sail after the 22nd. Amazing.

[Blue Bus Fan]

The govern proposes changes to Alaska Marine Highway:

gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2021/03/10/governor-dunleavy-introduces-legislation-to-revitalize-alaska-marine-highway-board/

[Blue Bus Fan]

Alaska House and Senate have approved to form a 12 members board to form a long term plan for Marine Highway:

www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2021/05/18/state-senate-approves-new-ferry-board-to-help-ailing-alaska-marine-highway-system/

[Name Omitted]

May 18, 2021 21:08:33 GMT -8 Blue Bus Fan said:

Alaska House and Senate have approved to form a 12 members board to form a long term plan for Marine Highway:

www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2021/05/18/state-senate-approves-new-ferry-board-to-help-ailing-alaska-marine-highway-system/

Came here to post this.  You beat me by 19 minutes. 

For those of you who face the ADN firewall, a link to the House Speaker's comments on the bill is here.  Cliff-notes, it would create a 9 member board with the power to make long-range plans for the system.  However, as the last paragraph in the ADN article puts it:

The Department of Transportation is not required to follow the new board’s planning, which caused critics to say the measure does not go far enough in fixing the system’s problems.

So... it's a great step in theory, but there's no teeth.  This is nothing like creating a transit authority that is not at the annual mercy of the State's road-builders.

[avgeekjoe]

I would say that if cruise ships don't have to stop in BC anymore, why not just privatize or place in a public-private partnership the Alaskan ferry system? Just a serious thought.

[Neil]

Jun 11, 2021 9:46:58 GMT -8 avgeekjoe said:

I would say that if cruise ships don't have to stop in BC anymore, why not just privatize or place in a public-private partnership the Alaskan ferry system? Just a serious thought.

Probably because, from what I understand, there's zero interest from the private sector in running a massively money losing system, and Alaska doesn't seem inclined to offer enough of a subsidy to make it worth anyone's while.

[avgeekjoe]

Jun 11, 2021 10:42:59 GMT -8 Neil said:

Jun 11, 2021 9:46:58 GMT -8 avgeekjoe said:

I would say that if cruise ships don't have to stop in BC anymore, why not just privatize or place in a public-private partnership the Alaskan ferry system? Just a serious thought.

Probably because, from what I understand, there's zero interest from the private sector in running a massively money losing system, and Alaska doesn't seem inclined to offer enough of a subsidy to make it worth anyone's while.

Thanks, it's just I had the thought occur to me the past 36 or so hours.

[Name Omitted]

Jun 11, 2021 10:51:42 GMT -8 avgeekjoe said:

Jun 11, 2021 10:42:59 GMT -8 Neil said:

Probably because, from what I understand, there's zero interest from the private sector in running a massively money losing system, and Alaska doesn't seem inclined to offer enough of a subsidy to make it worth anyone's while.

Thanks, it's just I had the thought occur to me the past 36 or so hours.

Adding to what Neil said, our current governor commissioned a study with criteria that all but ensured an outcome in favor of privatization. The result of the study was that only one route could be profitable in private hands (Bellingham). Furthermore, that route would only be profitable if the State retained all the capital replacement liability.

[avgeekjoe]

Thanks!

[Name Omitted]

A quick note to our Canadian and Washingtonian friends, not that we have much of a ferry system to visit, but if you do plan to come there's a good chance the system will shut down July 1st: Alaska state employees receive layoff notices as Gov. Mike Dunleavy says new state budget is ‘defective’

[Name Omitted]

Senator Murkowski made sure that the ferries were included in the bipartisan infrastructure deal with an eye towards electric ferries in Alaska:


Murkowski: Infrastructure deal would benefit Alaska

Murkowski said electric ferries are working in Norway. She said they could beef up the Alaska ferry system and attract more riders.



“What can we be doing to not only make (Alaska ferries) more accessible, more affordable, but also more clean?” she said. “And and if we can do this, I think this is how you build out something like the Alaska Marine Highway System.”

I mean, I appreciate her enthusiasm, but is there anywhere in the world an electric car ferry has a longer run than 20 miles?

[WettCoast]

Jun 27, 2021 12:03:28 GMT -8 Name Omitted said:

Senator Murkowski made sure that the ferries were included in the bipartisan infrastructure deal with an eye towards electric ferries in Alaska:

Murkowski: Infrastructure deal would benefit Alaska

I mean, I appreciate her enthusiasm, but is there anywhere in the world an electric car ferry has a longer run than 20 miles?

Yeah, electric ferries are a good idea for short haul routes of which Alaska has few.  They could work for the Ketchikan airport ferry, probably. 

Maybe a few years down the road they may be viable for runs of up to a few hours.

[Name Omitted]

For anyone interested, there are some neat pictures of the fast ferries on the deck of the Red Zed 1 big lift ship.

I don't own any of the pictures, so will not post any here, but a quick web search will show both of them high and dry on the back of a heavy lift ship. It's an incredible sight, not the least because they both fit.

[ancflyer]

Good bye and good riddance to those two (Alaska) worthless Fast Ferries. I've said it here before, and I'll say it again . . . they had no business in the Lynn Canal or PWS.

[FNS]

The RED ZED I has departed Ketchikan Alaska with the two former AMH fast ferries on her deck.  Next stop is Panama Canal and the locks.

Here's a link to a page with pictures of the departing fast ferries setting out to their new Spanish home:



www.krbd.org/2021/06/25/two-former-state-ferries-start-their-journey-to-spain-with-loading-onto-transport-ship/

I won't be posting a lot of updates for this voyage.  Maybe one off the south tip of Baja California, the locks, and spinning around the revolving door out of the Caribbean Sea and onto the Atlantic Ocean.

Safe voyage, RED ZED I.

[FNS]

The RED ZED I, with the former AMH fast ferries tied to her deck, is about 400-500 miles west of the south tip of Baja California.  

Next update: Panama.

[FNS]

The RED ZED I arrived outside of the Pacific Foyer, Panama Canal, on Saturday, 24 July 2021.  The waiting for the locking operations begins.

[FNS]

Just before midnight PDT, the RED ZED I left her anchorage spot and made it as far as the foyer of the new Cocoli Locks.  Now she's back outside at another anchor spot.

[FNS]

Well, after a "false start" the other day, the RED ZED I (with "you know what" on her deck) is aiming for another try in transiting the Canal this morning.  She weighed anchor at around 0400-0430 PDT and is entering the Pacific foyer.

[FNS]

Now in the "new" Cocoli Locks.


multimedia.panama-canal.com/

Manual refresh if needed.

[FNS]

IMAGES FROM THE COCOLI LOCKS IN THE PANAMA CANAL

[FNS]

DISTANT VIEWS FROM MIRAFLORES LOCKS



We can see you, RED ZED I!


Heading towards the Centennial Bridge.

[FNS]

After an overnight stay in Pena Blanca Anchorage, the RED ZED and her load are on their way to, most likely, Agua locks.

[FNS]

THE RED ZED I WITH THE TWO FORMER FAST FERRIES OF AMH ON HER DECK TRANSITED THE AGUA CLARA LOCKS THIS AFTERNOON.



First good sighting of the ship.


The first step down to the Atlantic is completed.


This is nearly a full profile of the ship and her cargo, still in AMH colors.


The doors are closing and the next step down commences.


As daylight is giving way to an "Edge of Night", the second step down is completed.


GONE!

This concludes my coverage of the Pacific and the Panama Canal transit of the RED ZED I with the two former AMH ferries on her deck.  The set will now head out to the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean.

I may do a posting of the arrival at Ibiza Spain in several weeks time from this posting.

Have a good safe trip across the Atlantic to all crew members aboard the RED ZED I!

And, we thank the folks of the Panama Canal for providing us with camera views of these locking actions.