Alaska’s Marine Highway System Rehabilitation and Expansion Strategy Announced$1 billion successfully secured for essential ferry service through the AMHSPosted & Edited By MARY KAUFFMAN
December 07, 2021
Monday, Governor Dunleavy and Alaska Transportation Commissioner Ryan Anderson announced their plan to re-energize the Alaska Marine Highway System. Among the significant capital investments is a new ocean-class vessel to replace the 57-year-old Tustumena ferry.
“The Tusty has been plying rough seas for nearly 60 years and is approaching the end of its service life. Annual repairs for the vessel now reach $2 million,” said Governor Dunleavy. “I’ve asked DOT to replace this key piece of infrastructure to ensure connectivity for our coastal communities for another 50 years.” The marine highway serves 35 communities in Alaska and transports goods, vehicles and passengers between communities. The ocean highway also links coastal communities to Alaska’s highway and rail network.
The replacement vessel is estimated to cost $200 million to $250 million and will be competitively bid. The new ship is expected to begin service in 2027. The new ship’s vehicle and passenger capacity would increase by 40 percent over the Tustumena, from 34 to 52 vehicles and from 160 to 250 passengers. “The new vessel will make the fleet more resilient and responsive to the needs of coastal communities - through more passenger and vehicle space, but also more fuel efficient engines, diesel and electric propulsion systems, and an efficient design to move through the water easily,” said DOT Commissioner Ryan Anderson. “It will be built to serve coastal communities throughout our system, allowing flexibility to move our ships around during annual lay-ups.” The Alaska Dept. of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) will fund the vessel over multiple years using federal funds. Other marine highway upgrades announced by the Governor include:
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law on November 15, 2021, at the White House with Congressman Young in attendance. Throughout the bill’s drafting and passage, Congressman Young served as a key counselor to the President and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. According to Young, among the legislation’s many components, $1 billion was successfully secured for essential ferry service through the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). It also includes $73 million for the construction of new ferries for Alaska, in addition to providing funding for an electric ferry pilot program to help the AMHS fleet run cleaner. Congressman Young’s 2005 infrastructure bill, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), first made the AMHS eligible to qualify as a "highway" for the purposes of federal funding. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) expands upon this authority and allows the AMHS to utilize federal funding for the system’s operational and maintenance costs. This change greatly expands the flexibility of federal funding for the Alaska Marine Highway System and allows the system to deploy federal support where it is most needed. "The AMHS is an integral part of Southeast's transportation portfolio, and I have been a long-time supporter of its operations. We knew the bipartisan infrastructure act would be a gamechanger for Southeast Alaska. Governor Dunleavy's announcement is welcome news for our ferry system, and just the start of the tremendous progress this new bill will help us make on behalf of Southeast's transportation portfolio," said Congressman Don Young. Young said, "No other state has a ferry system like ours. While we drafted and considered the infrastructure bill, I knew Alaska needed to have a powerful voice at the table. I am proud to have helped deliver this funding for Alaska, and am grateful for our Delegation's leadership on this vital issue. The Tusty has served our state well for nearly 60 years. With the new infrastructure bill, the time is right to replace the Tusty with a modern vessel that can help Southeast succeed in the coming decades. Looking ahead, I will continue working with local, state, and federal leaders to ensure that we put this funding to good use and build safe, reliable infrastructure for the next generation of Alaskans." And today, Alaska Senate President Peter Micciche,(R-Soldotna) announced the appointment of two new members Paul Johnsen and David Arzt to the Alaska Marine Highway Operations Board (AMHOB). “After reviewing the current appointees, our primary interest was identifying members that could strengthen operational areas that would provide well-rounded, experienced capacity toward a successful AMHS. Paul and David represent approximately a combined 94 years of direct experience in the matters most important to the improvement and development of a functional, sustainable AMHS,” said Micciche. Paul Johnsen is from Petersburg, Alaska, and began his career in the Coast Guard as a vessel safety inspector in 1971. During his professional career, Johnsen has served all over the globe in marine positions both on board ships and in shoreside management. He supervised approximately 50 vessel dry dockings around the globe from within Alaska, Lower 48 east and west coasts, as well as overseas in the Far East. Johnsen retired from the AMHS in 2007 as a senior port and chief engineer prior to undertaking other marine ventures. He knows the system intimately and has the experience, capacity and skills to strengthen the team significantly. David Arzt is from Homer, Alaska, and is an active Alaska Marine Pilot who attended the SUNI Maritime College at Fort Schuyler from 1979-1982. Arzt possesses extensive experience in the maritime industry as a vessel pilot of unlimited tonnage and a master of ocean vessels of unlimited tonnage. He has actively served on numerous boards and committees pertinent to service on the AMHOB, such as the Aleutian Risk Assessment Work Group, the Marine Exchange of Alaska, the American Pilots Association and the Aleutian Islands Safety Committee. Arzt has a proven record as a hard-working, dedicated board member to the marine transportation causes he serves, is well-versed in operational and functional vessel needs for Alaska-specific service and will be a valuable addition to the AMHOB team. Established through House Bill 63, the nine-member board is charged with improving the long-term viability, functionality, accountability and sustainability of the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). The only board seat stil open is the one to be appointed by the union. The 9 members are appointed by:
|
|||||
