State meets with Cordovans for ferry solutions

Published on March 11th, 2010

By JOY LANDALUCE

State of Alaska deputy commissioner for marine operations Jim Beedle attended a meeting in the library meeting room organized by Clay Koplin, Southcentral representative of the Marine Transportation Advisory Board (MTAB) and Martin Moe, Cordova Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Though the meeting began a little late due to bad weather along the coast, it went very well. Cordova business owners, fishing processors, coaches, teachers and interested Cordovans packed into the room to come to a ferry schedule that worked for everyone.

The problem originated with the ferry Chenega's five-year mandatory maintenance inspection. Rare German jet engines used in the catamaran-style fast vehicle ferry are not easily repaired. Cylinder linings needed to be replaced by German engineers - cylinder linings needed to be produced in Germany. State of Alaska Marine Transportation Services director Chuck VanKirk, system director Captain John Falvey, and vessel coordinating scheduler Kerri Traudt were involved in the meeting telephonically. Chuck VanKirk stated that a lot of lessons have been learned about this pair of fast ferries placed in service by the Alaska Marine Highway.

"This is a potential legal situation - with new linings being manufactured this delay cannot be avoided."

The Aurora will have to take the place of the Chenega until July 1. Beedle opened the discussion with the fact that this was much bigger than Cordova.

"Ferry systems are on a very slow system right now. Somehow we need to balance it. We know this will not be easy," Beedle said. "No one likes a schedule that does not work."

Business owner Gary Graham stated he needed three trips between Cordova and Whittier.

With the halibut season opening Saturday and the Copper River Salmon season beginning May 15, Cordova processors were all in attendance to discuss their needs for transporting fish to the road system in Whittier. Fresh fish needs to be into Anchorage for flights to be delivered to customers around the world.

Bill Gilbert of Trident Seafoods addressed the importance of meeting those flights in Anchorage.

"Shipping fresh instead of freeze is a dollar a pound difference - this could be a $1 million loss to the fishermen. Freight to and from Anchorage is the life blood and fuels this economy," Gilbert said. "I applaud your efforts. I suggest going back to the 40-foot shipping container. We shipped fish for years in 40-foot vans until you reduced the freight van to 32 feet. This would be a way for the ferry to show faith. It is critical that cod, halibut and the Copper River salmon fisheries meet the freight flight in Anchorage.

Beedle agreed that the importance of fish freight was high.

"The Aurora has the ability to carry more freight than the Chenaga," he said.

Ocean Beauty plant manager Hap Symmonds said that the departure time needed to be moved up to 5 a.m. to meet the Whittier tunnel to get on the road to Anchorage.

"We need to catch afternoon planes to Anchorage," Symmonds said. "We can not afford to lose a day."

Youth coach Jeannie Gilman stated she had youth activities planned she did not want to see impacted. Cordova School District superintendent Jim Nygaard said there was a Music Festival in Valdez on April 15-18.

"50 people need a decent schedule for the music festival," Nygaard said.

The meeting ended with a new tentative ferry schedule that is an extension of the winter schedule through May 15.

"The schedule that was passed around will likely be in effect from May 15-June 1 with the change that it is a Cordova-Whittier-Cordova run on Sunday leaving Valdez out, then to the schedule passed around from June 1 until the Chenega arrives," Koplin said. "They will try to accommodate shorebird and the school music festival as well."