The first of the three ferries bought by Labrador Marine Inc. has started service on the Straits of Bell Islands after a delivery trip from Norway via Ijmiuden and the Azores. Not without some controversy over the name Qujaq W:
In other ferry news…should AMHS go private? BC ferries did, but their ridership far exceeds that seen in SE/SW Alaska. Too bad they didn’t build new ships when the going was good. Doesn’t bode well.
The Alaska State Ferries are a very expensive state funded program that Alaska can no longer afford now that oil revenues have dried up. A few of the ferry routes are necessary and must be provided, many of routes will eventually be eliminated. It’s much faster and cheaper for passengers to fly instead of take the ferry on many of the routes. Common carriers provide freight and fuel to all the places served by Ferries.
