Alaska ferry route suspended after ship’s mechanical failure
Posted May 27, 2020 7:41 am.
Last Updated May 27, 2020 7:44 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
JUNEAU, Alaska — Ferry service between two Alaska communities is on hold after a mechanical breakdown for the only serviceable ship in the Inter-Island Ferry Authority’s fleet.
The link between Ketchikan and Hollis on Prince of Wales Island was shut down last Friday, CoastAlaska reported.
A statement by the authority Monday said there was a “catastrophic propulsion system failure” on the port side of the ship, M/V Prince of Wales.
The ferry will be repaired when parts and technicians are available, authority General Manager Ronald Curtis said in the statement.
Repairs to a sister ship, M/V Stikine, were delayed by the inability of technicians to travel from the continental U.S., Curtis said.
Both ferries are unable to make the 72-mile (116-kilometre) round trip journey between Ketchikan and Hollis.
“We realize that this is a major inconvenience to our customers and supply chain partners,” Curtis said. “We are working diligently on trying to identify solutions for our customers in this difficult time.”
The M/V Stikine is projected to be operational again June 11 and is expected to sail five days per week, Curtis said.
“We are working to get technicians scheduled and M/V Stikine back into service,” Curtis said.
The Associated Press
