Southeast Alaska

Sunken Canadian Ship Polluting Alaskan Coast

According to a Feb. 24 report from The Gazette, a sunken Canadian steamship that offered luxury cruises for decades along the British Columbia coast, then served a crucial role during the Second World War transporting troops, supplies and Jewish refugees, is now polluting the waters of a major Pacific Ocean inlet. The Princess Kathleen, a Canadian Pacific cruise ship sank in a storm off southeast Alaska nearly 60 years ago and has been identified as the source of a persistent oil slick in waters north of Juneau after U.S. Coast Guard officials dived to the wreck site last week. (Source: The Gazette)

Fast Ferry Southeast Express Begins Between Juneau and Ketchikan

The Alaska Marine Highway System will inaugurate its fast vehicle ferry service three days per week between Juneau-Petersburg-Wrangell-Ketchikan on Thursday, November 3. The M/V Fairweather will depart Juneau at 8 a.m. on each of its runs and the M/V Chenega will depart Ketchikan at 7:15 a.m. on two of its service days, and 8:15 a.m. on the third. The ferries will meet in Petersburg to trade passengers and vehicles at mid-day. Each ferry will return to its homeport by early evening

Wesmar Thrusters Propel Alaska Ferry to Success

For years the citizens of Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska were only able to commute to the Island of Ketchikan on a weekly basis, leaving them frustrated and isolated. In January of 2002 the 150 passenger car/ferry Prince of Wales entered service providing a much awaited daily transportation link between the two islands, and providing the 5,000 residents of the remote southeast Alaska region with a critical link and regular, reliable service-something they had long been without

Navy Conducts First Escape Exercise From Nuclear Sub

Seven personnel practiced locking out from the attack submarine USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) and ascending to the surface wearing special suits that are designed to enable a free ascent from a stricken submarine Dec. 2 during ESCAPEX at the Navy’s Southeast Alaska Acoustic Measurement Facility in Ketchikan, Alaska. While several foreign navies practice the maneuver routinely, the U.S. Navy had not conducted it in more than three decades, and never from a nuclear-powered submarine.

WESMAR Thrusters Important Equipment For Alaska Ferry

For years the citizens of Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska were only able to commute to the Island of Ketchikan on a weekly basis, leaving them frustrated and isolated. In January of 2002 the 150 passenger car/ferry Prince of Wales entered service providing a much awaited daily transportation link between the two islands, and providing the 5,000 residents of the remote southeast Alaska region with a critical link and regular, reliable service—something they had long been without.

Alaskan Cruise Back Underway

A cruise ship hit by fire early Tuesday has been cleared to continue its voyage and was headed Wednesday to its final port of Seward, Alaska, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam, a ship with nearly 1,200 passengers and 542 crew members, departed Bartlett Cove in southeast Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park late Tuesday after investigators began their probe of the fire, the Coast Guard said. No one was seriously injured in the blaze

Hydralift Skeg Use Gaining Speed

A device that increases the efficiency of barges is gaining in popularity on the West Coast, especially for Seattle to Alaska and Southeast Alaska runs. Many people report that Hydralift skegs substantially increase the efficiency of towed barges. This results in either increased towing speed or reduced fuel consumption because the horsepower required to tow at the same speed decreases. The Lynden Companies, Alaska Railbelt Marine (ARM) and Alaska Marine Lines (AML)

USCG's Newest Cutter Arrives in Ketchikan

The newest USCG cutter to join the fleet in Alaska arrived in Ketchikan. Cutter Anthony Petit sailed toward its new southeast Alaska homeport after beginning its travels in Maryland, following construction by Marinette Marine. The ship's crew, consisting of one officer and 23 enlisted men, hosted a welcoming reception sponsored by 17th USCG District Commander Rear Adm. Thomas J. Barrett in Ketchikan following the ship's arrival.

Supreme Court Finalizes Decision on Marine Submerged Lands

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a final decree regarding Alaska's assertion of ownership of certain marine submerged lands in the southeast portion of the state. The court finalized its earlier ruling that the federal government retained ownership of those portions of the Alexander Archipelago more than three geographical (nautical) miles from shore because those waters do not constitute historic inland waters. The federal government retained ownership of those portions of North Bay

Guido Perla Delivers Inter-Island Alaskan Ferry

Guido Perla, Chairman of Guido Perla and Associates, announced the delivery of the M/V Stikine, a 197-ft. passenger-vehicle ferry, to Inter-Island Ferry Authority (IFA) for its new northern route between Prince of Wales Island’s Coffman Cove, Wrangell, and Petersburg terminals in Southeast Alaska. “GPA provided the construction engineering for the first IFA ferry, M/V Prince of Wales in 2001, and, ultimately, was hired as the owners’ naval architect for the design development for the