The Alaska Marine Highway or the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is a ferry service that is operated by the government of the state of Alaska in the United States. State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Official languages English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski (R) Senators Ted Stevens (R) Lisa Murkowski (R) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 1st 663,267 mi² / 1,717,854 km² 13. ...

The Alaska Marine Highway System operates along the southcentral coast of the state and the Inside Passage of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. Ferries serve communities in Southeastern Alaska that have no road access and the vessels have the capability to transport people, freight and vehicles. AMHS's 3,500 miles of routes go as far south as Bellingham, Washington in the lower United States and as far west as Unalaska/Dutch Harbor with a total of 32 terminals throughout Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. Somewhere along the Inside Passage. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 2. ... The Alaska Panhandle is the coast of the American state of Alaska, just west of the Canada. ... Bellinghams Old Fairhaven neighborhood - April 2004 Bellingham is the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Official languages None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Senators Patty Murray (D) Maria Cantwell (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 18th 184,824 km² 6. ... Unalaska is a small city on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... Unalaska is a town on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands. ...

History

The Alaska Marine Highway began in Haines, Alaska by two men, Steve Homer and Ray Gelotte, who used a converted LCT-Mark 6 landing craft which they christened the M/V Chilkoot. Their business was purchased by the Territory of Alaska in 1951. After realizing the importance of the Alaska Ferry System as a main route of transportation, the State of Alaska requested federal funding for the fleet. The Federal Government denied the request, citing that only highway systems are eligible for Federal transportation funds. The State of Alaska soon renamed the Alaska Ferry System to the Alaska Marine Highway and began to receive federal funding. Haines is a city located in Haines Borough, Alaska, United States. ... Landing craft Rapière A landing craft is a type of boat used to convey infantry and vehicles on to a shore during an assault from sea to land. ...

The M/V Malaspina at port in Skagway, Alaska.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 843 KB) Summary M/V Malaspina at port in Skagway. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 843 KB) Summary M/V Malaspina at port in Skagway. ... The M/V Malaspina, colloquially known as the Mal, is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ...

Communities served

The Alaska Marine Highway hubs out of Juneau, although due to a recent controversial transfer, administrative offices were moved from Juneau to Ketchikan. Other smaller operational hubs include Cordova (Prince William Sound), Ketchikan (southern Southeast Alaska), and Kodiak (Southcentral Alaska). Juneau redirects here. ... Ketchikan is a city located in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska. ... Cordova is a small city located near the mouth of the Copper River in Alaska, at the head of Orca Inlet on the east side of Prince William Sound. ... Prince William Sound, on the south coast of Alaska. ... Inland view of the Alaska Panhandle The Alaska Panhandle is the coast of the American state of Alaska, just west of the British Columbia province of Canada. ... Kodiak is a city located in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska. ...

The AMHS serves the following 34 communities year-round: Akutan; Angoon; Bellingham, Washington; Chenega Bay; Chignik; Cold Bay; Cordova; False Pass; Haines; Homer; Hoonah; Juneau; Kake; Ketchikan; King Cove; Kodiak; Metlakatla; Pelican; Petersburg; Port Lions; Prince Rupert, British Columbia; Sand Point; Seldovia; Seward; Sitka; Skagway; Tatitlek; Tenakee Springs; Unalaska/Dutch Harbor; Valdez; Whittier; Wrangell; and Yakutat. Barlett Cove, location of the National Park Services's Glacier Bay ranger station and just eight miles out of the community of Gustavus, is served occasionally by the M/V LeConte in summer months. Akutan is a city located in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska. ... Angoon (soimetimes formerly spelled Angun) is a city located in Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska. ... Bellinghams Old Fairhaven neighborhood - April 2004 Bellingham is the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. ... State nickname: The Evergreen State Official languages None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Governor Christine Gregoire (D) Senators Patty Murray (D) Maria Cantwell (D) Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 18th 184,824 km² 6. ... Chenega Bay is a town located in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska, on Crab Bay on Evans Island along Prince William Sound. ... Chignik is a city located in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska. ... Cold Bay is a city located in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska. ... Cordova is a small city located near the mouth of the Copper River in Alaska, at the head of Orca Inlet on the east side of Prince William Sound. ... False Pass is a city located in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska. ... Haines is a city located in Haines Borough, Alaska, United States. ... Homer is a town located in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. ... Hoonah is a city located in Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska. ... Juneau redirects here. ... Kake is a city located in Wrangell-Petersburg Census Area, Alaska. ... Motto: Nickname: King Salmon Capital of the World Location in Ketchikan Gateway Borough Founded Incorporated   County Borough Ketchikan Gateway Borough Parrish Mayor Bob Weinstein Area  - Total  - Water 10. ... King Cove is a city located in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska. ... Kodiak is a city located in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska. ... Metlakatla is a census-designated place located in Prince of Wales-Outer Ketchikan Census Area, Alaska. ... Pelican is a city located in Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska. ... Petersburg is a city located in Wrangell-Petersburg Census Area, Alaska. ... Port Lions is a city located on Kodiak Island in the Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska. ... Prince Rupert is a city in the province of British Columbia, Canada. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 36 6 Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 2. ... Sand Point is a city located in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska. ... Seldovia is a city located in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. ... Seward is a city located in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska. ... Sitka City and Borough is a borough located on the west side of Baranof Island in the Alexander Archipelago of the Pacific Ocean, in the state of Alaska. ... Skagway is a city located in Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. ... Tatitlek is a census-designated place located in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska. ... Tenakee Springs is a city located in Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska. ... Unalaska is a small city on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. ... Unalaska is a town on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands. ... Valdez is a city located in Valdez-Cordova Census Area, Alaska. ... Whittier is a town located in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area of Alaska. ... Wrangell is a city located in Wrangell-Petersburg Census Area, Alaska. ... Yakutat City and Borough is a borough and a city located in Alaska. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... Riggs Glacier, 1992 Glacier Bay is a bay in southeastern Alaska. ... Gustavus, Alaska is a small community located on the edge of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in southeastern Alaska. ... The M/V LeConte is a feeder vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ...

Vessels

Current vessels

The following vessels, from smallest to largest, currently serve in the Alaska Marine Highway's fleet:

• M/V Lituya - Solely dedicated to serving the Ketchikan-Metlakatla route.
• M/V Chenega - (Fast ferry). Operates in Prince William Sound during the summer and serves, along with the Fairweather, the Juneau-Petersburg-Ketchikan route in the winter.
• M/V Fairweather - (Fast ferry). Operates a variety of routes in Southeast Alaska.
• M/V Aurora - Operates in Prince William Sound.
• M/V LeConte - Serves the feeder communities in northern Southeast, or for the more widely recognized term "the milk run."
• M/V Tustumena - Serves Southcentral and Aleutian Island communities.
• M/V Taku - Runs mainline throughout Southeast Alaska.
• M/V Malaspina - Runs mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince Rupert or Bellingham.
• M/V Matanuska - Runs mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince Rupert or Bellingham.
• M/V Kennicott - Runs mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince Rupert or Bellingham and making a cross-Gulf of Alaska trip to Southcentral Alaska once a month.
• M/V Columbia - Runs mainline throughout Southeast Alaska, frequently beginning in Prince Rupert or Bellingham.

Unlike most other major ferry systems in the world, the Alaska Marine Highway System has a majority of its vessels built for multiple-day voyages due to the large distances between ports. For example, it takes just under three days to travel from Bellingham to Skagway, and a good 18 hours for the Sitka to Juneau "milk run." Because of this, all of the larger vessels (M/V Tustemena and larger) come with state rooms while all mainline vessels have solariums and lounges for sleeping while hot food services and, in the case of the M/V Columbia, a sit-down restaurant are offered for eating. The M/V Lituya is a shuttle ferry for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Chenega is a fast ferry catamaran and the newest vessel in the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Fairweather is a fast ferry catamaran in the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Aurora is a feeder vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V LeConte is a feeder vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Tustumena, colloquially known as the Tusty, is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Taku is a mainline vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Malaspina, colloquially known as the Mal, is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Matanuska, colloquially known as the Mat, is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The M/V Kennicott is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ... The Gulf of Alaska is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east, where Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage are to be found. ... The M/V Columbia is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ...

All current vessels are named after Alaskan glaciers. A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ...

Retired vessels

In addition to the current fleet, the following vessels have been retired:

• M/V Bartlett
• M/V Chilkat
• M/V Chilkoot
• M/V Wickersham

Traffic

The AMHS carries over 350,000 passengers and 100,000 vehicles every year. It is very popular in the summer with tourists (one of the primary reasons Bellingham and Prince Rupert are AMHS destinations). Tent cities commonly sprout up on the aft of mainline vessels and for budget-travellers, the AMHS is one of the top modes of transportation for getting to the last frontier. During the winter service drops off significantly. Vessels usually undergo overhauls and renovations during this period due to the decline in passenger and vehicle traffic (which is attributed to lack of tourists). Lower income and Alaskan Native groups are primary patrons of the ferries because of the system's relatively cheap fares compared to air carriers such as Alaska Airlines for larger towns and bush plane carriers for villages. Spirit of Disneyland at ONT gate 206 Alaska Airlines (IATA: AS, ICAO: ASA, and Callsign: Alaska), based in Seattle, Washington, USA, has grown from a small regional airline to one carrying more than 12 million customers per year. ...

Politics

The ferry system has been on the spotlight in recent years over road proposals. A road has been proposed to link Skagway, which is hooked up to the road system, and Juneau, the only capital in the United States currently without road access. Proponents of the road proposal have said ferry service is spotty and expensive compared to roads and that residents should be able to come and go as they please. Critics of the proposal point out that the very people who want the road, the administration of Governor Frank Murkowski, are also in charge of the ferry system and have made the service changes that are widely regarded as illogical and create "spotty" service schedules that they complain about. Francis Hughes Murkowski (born March 28, 1933) is a Polish-American politician who is the current Governor of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. ...

See also

• BC Ferries - British Columbia's ferry system, similar to the Alaska Marine Highway.

British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. ...

External links

• Official site