Ongoing vessel refit work, lack of sailing staff means AMHS Summer Service to Prince Rupert unlikely in 2024

The AMHS Terminal in Prince Rupert is likely not going
to be a very busy place again this year, as the Alaska
Transportation provider continues to find challenges to a return
for Prince Rupert service

The Alaska Marine Highway System recently opened up the booking period for summer travel for residents and visitors to the State, and once again, booking passage for a journey from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan is something not currently available.

The advisory of the Prince Rupert situation a key focus of the announcement posted to the AMHS website.

A Snapshot of the Southeast Alaska Service adding a bit more background to the continued suspension of the transit in and out of Prince Rupert.

Alaskan Public Radio provided for a fairly extensive review of the Summer plans for AMHS including additional notes related to the ongoing challenges for AMHS in getting the Prince Rupert to Ketchikan run back into operation.

"One of the fleet’s oldest ferries, the Matanuska, which was built in 1963, is also unlikely to sail at all this summer. Dapcevich says the Matanuska, which normally sails into Prince Rupert, British Columbia is still undergoing major work on its hull. 

 “We had it scheduled for an overhaul. When we brought it in they determined that there was quite a bit of steel that was going to need to be replaced. There’s also some Coast Guard requirements, we are coming up against a deadline to do some major changes on the boat,” Dapcevich said. 

 According to Dapcevich the mainliner vessel will come out of dry dock soon and receive an evaluation or “sounding” to look at all the steel onboard, not just in the hull but also in the tanks below deck. 

 Without the Matanuska online, AMHS is anticipating not being able to sail to the community of Prince Rupert, southwest of Metlakatla, this summer either. But Dapcevich says if that ferry is back online by this summer, or both the Columbia and Kennicott are in service then the route to Prince Rupert could be reinstated later this year. 

A similar situation happened last year with the Matanuska, after it was unexpectedly brought into the shipyard for major repairs, stranding some ferry goers in Prince Rupert for months and canceling summer service to BC altogether."

It's been more than a few years now since AMHS has provided for a summer long service between Prince Rupert and Ketchikan, the last regular schedule going back to 2019. 

The lack of that connection has been an item of note for tourism operators on both sides of the A/B line for a few years now.  As well as making for a shared discussion topic for Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond and  Alaska officials.

But the lack of a reliable service is one of more significant concern for residents of Southeast Alaska who have but two options now for travel to their lower 48 states

One a lengthy and expensive once a week ferry transit to Bellingham, Washington;  or a cross continent road trip that takes them through  the Yukon or Northern BC before they can steer their vehicles south.

AMHS reinforced their commitment for a Prince Rupert return last fall, though their ongoing challenges with vessel replacement and employee staffing continue to make that a longer term project it would seem.

Any updates on the AMHS schedule will be delivered through the AMHS website here. as well as through their Social media stream.

More notes on marine transportation on the North Coast can be reviewed here

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.