Mechanical issues are causing more delays for Alaska ferry out of Bellingham
With the Alaska ferry Matanuska still dealing with mechanical issues, it will be at least a few weeks before Bellingham has another sailing.
The ferry will head to the Ketchikan shipyard and isn’t expected to be ready until Monday, March 2, according to a news release from the Alaska Department of Transportation.
According to the ferry schedule, the next sailing from the Bellingham Cruise Terminal will be Wednesday, March 4, if the Matanuska is repaired on time. The Matanuska is the only ferry scheduled to sail from Bellingham through April, except for one trip by the Kennicott on Saturday, April 18.
If the delayed ferry is unable to return as planned, the Alaska Marine Highway System is looking into alternative services. The agency noted that there are a lot of school and community athletic tournaments in March.
The mechanical problem with the Matanuska began in late January and was stuck in Juneau for more than a week, according to the Alaska television station KTUU.
The Matanuska is designed to carry 450 passengers and around 83 20-foot vehicles.
