The Alaska Marine Highway System brings controversy to Southeast: a ride on the Alaska Marine Highway System has always remained one of Alaska's jewels, and inexpensive and scenic way to traverse throughout the Panhandle's collection of rain-spattered islands and colorful port communities.

• Author: Colby, Nicole A. Bonham

It's not unheard of that taking the ferry in Southeast Alaska has meant typically longer trips on aging vessels, sometimes waiting to board in the dark hours of the morning or late night, and of generally cumbersome schedules. In latter years, as air travel modernized and became more convenient, the ferry system may have lost its luster to many locals--particularly business travelers--though always remained a favorite of the independent traveler visiting the Panhandle. But the latest concept for a refurbished Alaska Marine Highway System is an intended improvement on all the above--a series of shorter links on faster, newer vessels, with convenient connections and userfriendly schedules and onboard attributes. It's with this modernized concept of operation that the state says it hopes to win back a larger core of resident travelers and pose even greater options for the tourist visiting Alaska.

There have been some pitfalls as the state seeks to deploy its new transportation concept: Most notably, the lengthy labor contract disputes that resulted in the fast-vehicle ferry M/V Fairweather placed offline in Ketchikan, until mid-March, stalled system operations. And there were some mechanical issues--the M/V Fairweather at least twice sucked tree-sized logs into its propulsion system last year. In some towns, the state's plan of a network of island roads connecting to ferry terminals has prompted its own brand of outcry. A state scoping plan meeting in Sitka early this year found residents there generally supportive of ferry system improvements, but turned off by plan alternatives to relocate the terminal across the island and build a road linking it to the community.

In a release from the Alaska Marine Highway System dated March 8, it was stated state labor negotiators had reached an agreement with the two remaining labor unions involved in operation of the M/V Fairweather, approving a contract to return the state's first fast ferry to regular operations in time for the summer tourism season, which was accomplished in March.

"Negotiations were lengthy and tough, but we thank the labor leaders for their hard work and creativity," said Commissioner of Administration Raymond Matiashowski. "And this agreement gives us a template for future high-speed craft such as the Chenega." The M/V Chenega, a duplicate of the fast-ferry M/V Fairweather, is scheduled to begin serving Prince William Sound in mid-July.

Despite the challenges of the state's plan, there are efforts like the Inter-Island Ferry Authority (IFA) linking Ketchikan with Prince of Wales Island via daily service that has proven highly successful and convenient to the traveler. A trip on the IFA ferry poses a cheap and relatively fast trip to the island and its collection of roads and eclectic communities, complete with a sit-down restaurant that serves up a fine meal, friendly service and a million-dollar view.

Such attributes of the slower-paced waterborne method of travel in Southeast have always attracted a tenacious core of avid ferry fans. But the state hopes to again grow that audience base to meet the larger needs of the...