RELIABLE SHIPPING. TRUSTED PARTNERS

Since 1975, TOTE has proudly served as a critical shipping link for the communities of Alaska. With twice-weekly sailings between Tacoma, WA and the Port of Alaska, and industry-leading terminal turntimes of less than 20 minutes, TOTE ensures goods can get off our vessels and to the communities that rely on them safely and efficiently. With TOTE, you know your cargo is ready to roll.

DEDICATED. RELIABLE. BUILT TO SERVE.

which is estimated to run in the $200 million to $300 million range. “Both ships are nearing the end of their service life; sixty years is very uncommon for a passenger vessel in the maritime industry,” says Dapcevich.

“The Tustumena replacement vessel and the new electric ferry will help with system reliability, and a reliable fleet of ferries benefits all of coastal Alaska—families and businesses can rely on AMHS costs and timeline to do the work they need to do—and get to where they need to go,” says Keith, adding that this reliability will also enable communities to promote their events in conjunction with the AMHS schedule, increasing the success of their events.

AMHS is also replacing or upgrading ferry terminals, including those in Pelican and Prince William Sound. “We are moving toward more interchangeable dock facilities so that we have the flexibility to have a wider variety of vessels able to serve any given community,” Keith says. “Our goal is truly ‘all vessels, all communities.’”

In March, AMHS also renewed its agreement with the Alaska State Troopers for protection on ferries, which will result in Alaskans seeing an increased law enforcement presence when traveling. The AMHS Ride-Along program provides troopers and their spouses with complimentary travel when they are traveling for personal reasons on a space-available basis.

Connecting Communities

While AMHS hasn’t always received the attention that its users wish it would, the state’s emphasis on improving and enhancing this vital transportation link is expected to position the marine highway to better serve Alaskans now and into the future.

“The importance of Alaska’s coastal highway can’t be overstated,” says McCarthy. “It is used for everything— transporting vehicles, sports teams, households, school groups. While it connects coastal communities in terms of economics, it also connects them by community. People travel to music fests, athletic events, and access shopping, healthcare, and education by using the ferry system.”

To this end, DOT&PF is working hard to engage with Alaska residents to get their input on the ferry system and to be transparent with its plans. Its website Charting the Course is a place where residents can provide feedback, and DOT&PF is also working on a year-round baseline schedule that will be published in the near future.

“Southeast and Southwest communities have grown up around the ferry system over the last six decades, and when you talk to people in Alaska who lived here before AMHS began, you can see what a vital part of their lives it is,” says Dapcevich. “When those first three ships went online in 1963, it opened up the world.”