(Anchorage, Alaska) – Marine Vessel Kennicott, the workhorse of Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS), heads into the Ketchikan shipyard for overhaul on Thursday, January 14. AMHS estimates that the overhaul will take longer than originally scheduled due to the extent of work needed, vendor delays and supply chain issues.

M/V Kennicott is now expected to be in overhaul for 98 days, with a return to service on April 21. The vessel would have gone into overhaul earlier, but extended its sailing schedule through January 13, 2022 to cover Upper Lynn Canal communities and legislative travel as a result of the Matanuska extension in the shipyard.

The extended overhaul affects sailings, particularly cancellations in Bellingham. AMHS reservation specialists are currently reaching out to all affected passengers to assist with alternative arrangements.

Designed in Seattle, Washington, the M/V Kennicott is one of the younger vessels in the AMHS system, at 23 years old. It has the capacity of up to 499 passengers, up to 78 vehicles and has cabins for overnight sailings. The Kennicott can be transformed into a command center for emergency teams responding to a marine disaster. The Kennicott has had little time in the shipyard over the past two years and has an extensive checklist of maintenance items.

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities oversees 237 airports, 9 ferries serving 35 communities along 3,500 marine miles, over 5,600 miles of highway and 839 public facilities throughout the state of Alaska. The mission of the department is to “Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.”

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