Territorial History
The history of Alaska’s ferry system began in territorial days when a privately owned company, the Chilkoot Motorship Lines, began operating a small, surplused, amphibious assault ship, the M/V Chilkoot, between Juneau, Haines and Skagway in 1949.
By 1951, the Territory of Alaska purchased the ship and assumed operations of the economically failing run. In 1957 the aging Chilkoot was replaced with the M/V Chilkat. When Alaska entered into statehood in 1959, the Chilkat was transferred to the new State along with other territorial assets becoming the first State-owned ferry.
AMHS History
The history of the Alaska’s state ferry system since statehood has been one of growth and expansion in the 1960s and ’70s followed by a period of maturation and consolidation of the system. Recently, the state has begun to add some newer vessels and plan for the replacement of the oldest vessels in the fleet. Some of the red letter dates in the system’s history include:
- 1963 – Alaska formally establishes the Division of Marine Transportation and Alaska Marine Highway begins operations
- 1967 – Southern ferry system terminus moved from Prince Rupert to Seattle. Ferries still required to stop in Prince Rupert due to Jones Act
- 1989 – Bellingham replaces Seattle as southern terminus
- 1990 – Vessel Replacement Fund created by Alaska Legislature
- 1997 M/V Malaspina blocked by Candian fishermen in dispute over Pacific Salmon Treaty
- 1998 – Purchase of M/V Kennicott ends 20 year hiatus in adding new vessels to the fleet
- 2002 – Inter-Island Ferry Authority (IFA) begins operations and takes over service to Hollis
- 2004 – AMHS headquarters moves from Juneau to Ketchikan and the M/V Lituya joins the fleet as the first shuttle ferry dedicated to a single route
- 2004-05 – Two fast ferries join fleet and plans for two additional fast ferries are cancelled due to higher than anticipated operating and maintenance costs
- 2007 – Life-cycle/replacement-cost study begun
Ferry system timeline