Challenges in finding crews for AMHS vessels means suspension of planned Summer service to Prince Rupert

A return for Alaska Marine Highway Service to Prince Rupert is on hold
that as AMHS has continued to struggle to find enough employees to 
staff their fleet of vessels

The stars are not aligning it seems when it comes to a return to some semblance of a regular schedule for ferry service between Prince Rupert and Ketchikan, Alaska.

Last fall it was looking fairly positive for a summer sailing season between the two communities. 

That as the Alaska Marine Highway System made plans to resume its sailing schedule am announcement that had been something that residents of Southeast Alaska had been hoping for coming out of the COVID era suspension of service.

However, like many Marine providers including BC Ferries and Washington State Ferries: along with their own unique challenges in Alaska, AMHS is finding it hard to put together crews to sail on their vessels and as a result announced some disappointing news on Thursday.

The decision of AMHS officials one which will have an impact on the travels through the AMHS Fairview Bay terminal in Prince Rupert.

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In their information release yesterday, the Commissioner of the Marine Highway Service noted of a number of vessel tie ups ahead this spring and summer and how they will impact on service. 

In particular the impact of not having the vessel MV Kenicott set sail, the vessel the one that had been dedicated to the Prince Rupert route.

M/V Kennicott & M/V Tazlina: Due to crewing shortages, the M/V Kennicott and M/V Tazlina will be offline and placed in a readiness state. 

As we work through our recruitment programs and hire additional crew, we will bring the vessels back on-line immediately to supplement the baseline summer schedule. 

We recognize that without having the Kennecott on-line, we are not able to service the cross-gulf community of Yakutat, we reduce service to some Southwest and Prince William Sound Communities and will not have a vessel equipped to service Prince Rupert, due to international service regulations. 

We will be working over the coming weeks to provide alternative transportation for these areas to our best ability.

The Marine Highway Service also noted of its ongoing efforts to recruit new employees and their efforts to rebuild their schedule further into 2023.

Hiring new and experienced crew is the most significant challenge to moving beyond a baseline ferry schedule. Since January, AMHS taken additional steps to hire and recruitment skilled workers. Those changes have included extending the signing bonus for IBU members, increased advertising throughout Alaska and Lower-48, outreach to all Alaska High Schools, and reestablishing a AMHS job fair presence throughout the state and Lower 48. 

The department is also considering establishing a conditional hire program for qualified candidates waiting credentialing paperwork, an on-board internship program, and a Ketchikan-based training program. We will continue to try new ways to attract and retain crew and keep our ships serving our system.

The announcement has been received with some significant disappointment both by Alaska officials and the public, the popularity and importance of the service to Prince Rupert something that Alaska Representative Dan Ortiz noted for a Haines news publication yesterday. 

“That was a surprise and a big disappointment,” Rep. Dan Ortiz said of the news at the legislative briefing that the Kennicott could be tied up this summer. The loss of service to Prince Rupert “does not sit well with Ketchikan or Wrangell,” said the lawmaker, who represents both communities. 

As the AMHS works through their challenges updates to their crewing situation and hopefully a return to a Prince Rupert Service will be relayed through their website.

More notes on Marine Transportation on the North Coast, Haida Gwaii and Southeast Alaska can be reviewed from our archive page.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.