Central Alaska News

Alaska Marine Lines says four of its rail barges will receive new piping and ballast systems designed by Glosten with installation by Meridian Marine Industries."The rail barges are hitting 20 years of service and were in need of some upgrades," explains John Maketa, T-115 Port Engineer in Seattle. "These barges are the backbone of our rail operations and Central Alaska service. The updates will prepare them for another 20 years of service."Two barges, the Anchorage Provider and Whittier Provider, already have the new piping systems installed.

Alaska marine transportation company Alaska Marine Lines said that it is expanding its service from Seattle and Anchorage to the Arctic Region in 2019.Bowhead Transport will provide the destination services at the North Slope villages of Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright, Utqiagvik (Barrow), and Kaktovik. Alaska Marine Lines will also service Deadhorse with its two annual sealifts.Bowhead, thru its teaming agreement with Alaska Marine Lines, will continue to participate in the door-to-shore service to the Arctic that it initiated over 30 years ago.The new stops will be added to Alaska Marine Lines' many ports of call, joining the major hubs of Naknek…

The Obama administration on Friday blocked new exploration for oil and gas in Arctic waters, in a win for environmental groups that had fought development of the ecologically fragile region. The Department of the Interior released a 2017 to 2022 leasing plan that blocked drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off northern Alaska. It also limited petroleum development in the Cook Inlet off south-central Alaska. Environmental activists have battled drilling in Alaska to protect whales, walruses and seals, and as part of a broader movement to keep remaining fossil fuels in the ground.

Alaska Marine Lines celebrated the launch of its newest barge, Skagway Provider, at a ceremony July 7 at Gunderson Marine in Portland, Ore. where the vessel was constructed. The heavy deck cargo barge will make its maiden voyage from Seattle to Southeast Alaska July 29 and will begin serving Alaska Marine Lines customers on the Seattle to Southeast Alaska route. “We are proud to offer our customers additional capacity between Seattle and Southeast Alaska via the Skagway Provider,” said Kevin Anderson, president of Alaska Marine Lines.

Alaska Marine Lines, a marine transportation company providing barge service to and from Alaska and Hawaii, informs it has filed with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to decrease the fuel surcharge from certain locations as a result of fluctuating fuel costs.   Effective September 6, the line’s fuel surcharge will be reduced from 29 percent to 28 percent on shipments to, from and within Central Alaska and Prince William Sound locations

Alaska Marine Lines has filed with the Surface Transportation Board to decrease the fuel surcharge from 31% to 29% on shipments to, from and within Central Alaska and Prince William Sound locations. The line has also filed to decrease the fuel surcharge from 14% to 7% on shipments to, from and within Southeast Alaska. The decreases will become effective on January 25, 2015. Alaska Marine Lines said it will continue to monitor fuel prices on a daily basis and will adjust the fuel surcharge when necessary.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Air Station Kodiak deployed an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and support personnel to their seasonal forward operating location in Cordova, Alaska, to safeguard mariners in Prince William Sound and South Central Alaska, Thursday. With an increased number of vessels operating in the region during the spring and summer, the deployed Coast Guard aircrew will be able to rapidly respond to mariners in need of assistance. “Our strategically placed forward deployed assets and crews allow us to significantly decrease our response time during a distress call,” said Lt. Cmdr. Douglas Watson, the Coast Guard 17th District Command Center chief.

Kvichak Marine Industries, Inc. of Seattle, Wash., recently delivered the P/V Bering, a 50’ x 15.5’ pilot vessel to the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association (SWAPA). Bering will operate in the coastal areas of South Central Alaska. After acceptance of the Bering, the SWAPA crew and a Kvichak technician departed Seattle and began transiting north to Valdez, Alaska. The Bering’s delivery encompassed 1350 nautical miles averaging 25 knots over five days (53.9 hours run time on the engines). Weather conditions were generally favorable, however Johnstone Strait in B.C.

TerraSond Limited announces the return to home base in Alaska of its multi-purpose survey boat 'Luna Sea'. The owners say that this strategic return enhances their capability to serve clients in the Cook Inlet and South Central Alaska. Headquartered in Palmer, Alaska with offices worldwide, TerraSond has a long history of providing high quality geospatial, geophysical, and geoscience survey solutions dedicated to imaging the earth worldwide. The Luna Sea is well suited for performing a wide range of hydrographic and geophysical surveys.

Washington - The Department of the Interior is seeking input from industry to determine interest in oil and gas exploration off the coast of South-Central Alaska – a key step in the planning process for a potential oil and natural gas lease sale in the Cook Inlet Planning Area. This is the latest step by the Obama Administration toward production in Alaska’s offshore areas, and builds on broader steps to increase production in Alaska. “Today’s announcement is part of our commitment to increasing safe and responsible domestic oil and gas production as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy for America,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

Derecktor Shipyards will construct another high-speed ferry for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). This ferry, to be named the M/V Chenga, is the second of a two-vessel contract worth a total of $67.98 Million. In February of 2002 Derecktor Shipyards was awarded the contract to design and build two high-speed passenger & automobile ferries as the first phase of Alaska’s plans to re-tool its regional water transportation system with fast, modern, efficient, environmentally-friendly vessels. The M/V Chenega will sail in the Prince William Sound area of south-central Alaska, connecting the ports of Cordova, Valdez, and Whittier. The first vessel, the M/V Fairweather, will connect the port of Sitka and Juneau in southeast Alaska.

Derecktor's investment in a new construction facility in Bridgeport, Conn., has paid off with a prestigious contract to build two new high-spec ferries for the Alaska Marine Highway System. Will the company soon be able to lure new defense construction business to the buildings? The State of Alaska gave notice to Derecktor Shipyards to proceed on construction of a second high-speed ferry for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). M/V Chenega is the second of a two-ferry $67.9 million contract. In February 2002 Derecktor Shipyards was awarded the contract to design and build two high-speed passenger & automobile ferries as the first phase of Alaska's plans to re-tool its regional water transportation system with fast, modern, efficient, environmentally-friendly vessels.

Derecktor Shipyards held a plate cutting ceremony at its Bridgeport Connecticut facility for the first piece of plate cut for the highspeed ferry M/V Chenega. the ferry. foot high-speed ferries for the Alaska Marine Highway System. Chenega, were City Councilman Gary Graham and Kate Tesar. Bridgeport Port Authority. connecting the ports of Cordova, Valdez, and Whittier. 2004 with the M/V Chenega expected to enter service one year later. with airline-style seating, an available snack bar, and minimal ship motions. will be significantly shorter than what is possible with conventional ferries. these communities. shipbuilding since these will be the first vessels of their kind ever built in this country. designs, developed expressly for the Alaska project.