Alaska Marine Highway
The Alaska Marine Highway , also known as the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), is a network of ferry connections operated by the government of the US state of Alaska . The ships on the Marine Highway call at 32 ports along the Pacific coast of Alaska, British Columbia and Washington from the eastern Aleutian Islands via Southcentral Alaska with Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound to the Inside Passage . The total length of the route is 5600 km between the western terminus in Unalaska and Bellingham in Washington.
Passengers, vehicles and other loads are transported. For most settlements, the ferry system is the only means of transport besides the plane, because islands and some mainland towns have no access to the road network. In addition to its role as an indispensable infrastructure for the residents of the region, the marine highway is also of great tourist importance in the summer months.
The Marine Highway is part of the National Highway System . The main office is in Juneau , with branches in Ketchikan , Cordova and Kodiak .
history
The Alaska Marine Highway was founded in 1946 by Steve Homer and Ray Gelotte from Haines established that a converted landing craft type LCT Mark 6 , which they named Chilkoot used delivered, for the ferry service. In 1951 the provincial government bought the company and in 1963 named it Alaska Marine Highway System . In September 2005, the Federal Highway Administration declared the Alaska Marine Highway an All-American Road . Today, the ferries on the Alaska Marine Highway carry over 300,000 passengers and around 100,000 vehicles per year.
Ships (selection)
The following ferries are or were used on the Alaska Marine Highway:
- Aurora (since 1977)
- Columbia (since 1974)
- EL Bartlett (1969-2003)
- Kennicott (since 1998)
- LeConte (since 1974)
- Malaspina (since 1963)
- Matanuska (since 1963)
- Tazlina (since 2019)
- Tustumena (since 1964)
- Taku (1963-2015)
Ports
All year round, ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System operate the ports of Akutan , Angoon , Chenega , Chignik , Cold Bay , Cordova , False Pass , Haines , Homer , Hoonah , Juneau , Kake , Ketchikan , King Cove , Kodiak , Metlakatla , Petersburg , Port Lions , Sandpoint , Seldovia , Sitka , Skagway , Tatitlek , Tenakee Springs , Unalaska , Valdez , Whittier , Wrangell and Yakutat and in the summer months in addition Bartlett Cove in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve . Outside Alaska the ports of Prince Rupert in British Columbia and Bellingham in Washington are called.
