MV Chenega

M/V Chenega at Sitka, 2009
History
Name	M/V Chenega
Namesake	Chenega Glacier, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Owner	Alaska Marine Highway System
Port of registry	United States
Builder	Derecktor Shipyards, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Laid down	2004
Launched	2005
Commissioned	2005
Homeport	Cordova, Alaska
Identification	IMO number: 9265794 MMSI number: 338036000 Callsign: WDC3997
Status	Laid up, Ward Cove, Alaska
General characteristics
Displacement	748 long tons (760 t)
Length	235 ft (72 m)
Beam	60 ft (18 m)
Draft	8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) loaded
Decks	One vehicle deck
Ramps	Aft and starboard ro-ro loading
Propulsion	4 diesel engines and water jets, 15,360 hp (11,454 kW)
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Capacity	250 passengers 36 vehicles

M/V Chenega is a fast ferry catamaran formerly operated by the Alaska Marine Highway System.

The M/V Chenega was built by Derecktor Shipyards in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 2004 and 2005 and came into service in the latter year. It is powered by four diesel engines and water jets for a service speed of 32 knots which is similar to her sister ship, the M/V Fairweather.

The Chenega's amenities include a small movie lounge, rear observation deck/solarium and cafeteria.

As of 2017, the Chenega has been permanently laid up due to reductions in Marine Highway service.

Route

The Chenega ran into controversy from virtually the day it came into service. The Chenega had long been promised to service Prince William Sound year-round, and starting in the summer of 2005, however it came into service later than scheduled and the state of Alaska soon reneged on its promise for full-time Prince William Sound service and transferred the Chenega to its current route between Ketchikan and Petersburg with occasional stops in Wrangell for the winter. The new plan is to have the Chenega run this Southeast Alaska route in the winter and then transfer the ferry up to Prince William Sound in the summer. This is especially controversial because unlike feeder and mainline ferry vessels, the fast ferries only operate in the day thus their crews live in their homeports offering additional economic stimulus to its host community. Because of this, Cordova, the Chenega's Prince William Sound home, was especially outraged after the decision to transfer the boat to Ketchikan. In the winter, the M/V Aurora takes the Chenega's place running the Prince William Sound route.

External links

• Official Alaska Marine Highway site