(KETCHIKAN, Alaska) – The M/V Kennicott's scheduled return to service on April 22 will be delayed due to supply chain issues, labor constraints, and an unexpected mechanical failure. The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is working with all eighty Alaska-bound travelers on alternative transportation options to accommodate their individual travel needs and timeline.

The Kennicott was scheduled to depart Bellingham for a northbound voyage on April 22. AMHS anticipates the ship will pick up its original schedule on April 25, departing northbound from Ketchikan.

Like the rest of the nation, AMHS and its contractors are grappling with supply chain and tight labor market issues, and 2022 has marked several delays in return to service for Marine Highway vessels. Once repairs are complete, Kennicott will be Coast Guard inspected and recertified for sailing.

The Kennicott is designed to carry 499 passengers and has a vehicle capacity of 1,560 linear feet for operation in Southeast Alaska and 1,340 linear feet in Southwest Alaska, which equals approximately 67 to 78 twenty-foot vehicles.

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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