The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has initiated the tender process for a new vessel to replace an existing Ro-Pax ferry being operated as part of the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS).
The selected bidder will build a ferry to replace the 4,529GT Tustumena, which was built in 1964.
Invitations to bid have been sent out, and bids must be submitted within 90 days. The replacement AMHS ferry, which will also be named Tustumena, will be built in the United States over a period of 30 months and will be fitted out with as much domestically produced content as possible.
Upon completion, the new Tustumena will have an LOA of 100.6 metres, a beam of 22.56 metres, a draught of 5.03 metres, and space for 250 passengers and up to 58 cars. An alternate vehicle loadout will consist of 26 cars and 16 vans.
The vessel will also have a battery hybrid propulsion arrangement that will drive two azimuthing thrusters to deliver a service speed of 15 knots.
The ferry will be built in compliance with ABS class rules and SOLAS safe return to port requirements. Design work will be undertaken by naval architecture firm Glosten.