(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - An historic Laying of the Keels ceremony launching the beginning of the construction of the first ferries to be built in Alaska was held at the Ketchikan Shipyard Saturday afternoon. The event was hosted by Vigor Alaska, Governor Bill Walker, First Lady Donna Walker and the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

Keel laying ceremonies signal the commencement of a ship’s construction. Laying two keels simultaneously is unique in itself, but building two new ferries for the State of Alaska in the State of Alaska for the very first time is the realization of a shared goal to keep state spending and jobs in the state.

At the podium is Doug Ward, Vigor Alaska's Director of Shipyard Development; seated are Alaska Governor Bill Walker and First Lady Donna Walker.
Photo courtesy Gov. Bill Walker

The new First Lady Donna Walker was present as Sponsor of the two new Day Boat – Alaska Class Ferries. During the event First Lady Donna Walker welded her initials for the keel of the boat, a tradition that identifies her as a sponsor of a boat.

Delivery of both ferries is expected by October 2018. The project is projected to support between 80 to 90 new shipbuilding jobs in Ketchikan in addition to the 160 jobs reported at the end of 2013.

In 2010, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell directed the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) to de-federalize the Alaska Class Ferry project and authorized state funding to enable construction of the new ferries in Alaska. In September of 2014, a contract was awarded to Vigor Alaska to build the ferries.

The Day Boat Alaska Class Ferries will be owned and operated by the state of Alaska.  The vessels will be classed for Ferry Service by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and will hold a valid United States Coast Guard (USCG) Certificate of Inspection.  The vessels will carry passengers and vehicles among the various communities of Southeast Alaska.

The Day Boat Alaska Class Ferries will be 280-ft long steel-hulled, twin-screw, diesel-powered passenger and vehicle ferries. The passenger capacity of each Alaska Class Ferry is 300 and the vehicle capacity is 53 Alaska standard vehicles.

In 2010, Alaska Governor Sean Parnell directed the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) to de-federalize the Alaska Class Ferry project and authorized state funding to enable construction of the new ferries in Alaska. In September of 2014, a $101.5 million contract was awarded to Vigor Alaska to build the ferries.

Another first is the procurement method the State used to develop the contract with Vigor Alaska. It is known as Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) and is designed to bring complex projects in on-time and on-budget. Construction Manager/General Contractor has been used for many years for large, complex vertical construction projects. This is the first known time that the Construction Manager/General Contractor procurement has been adapted to the construction of marine vessels.

According to Adam Beck, president of Vigor Alaska, “Building two new ferries in Ketchikan is the outcome of over thirty years of planning and investment between the Alaska Congressional Delegation, the State of Alaska through the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and the City and Borough of Ketchikan. This enduring public/private partnership provides strength and diversity in Alaska’s economy at a critical juncture and will continue to do so long into the future.”

In addition to building the new ferries, Vigor Alaska is performing two large federal aid projects on the Marine Vessels (M/V) Kennicott and LeConte. Work on the M/V LeConte is being performed inside the yard’s state-of-the-art Ship Assembly Hall.

The increasing importance of the maritime industry in the state’s economy is further evidenced by other projects underway at Vigor Alaska. Work on the Navy’s Back Island Acoustic test barge and the Fishing Company of Alaska’s F/V Juris are now in progress. Vigor projects it could need up to 150 new shipyard workers to support the level of activity that is occurring this 2014-2015 shipbuilding and repair season.

Vigor Alaska has a Shipbuilding Workforce Development Blueprint to train Alaskans and Ketchikan residents to fill this surge in demand for skilled and qualified workers.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

On the Web:

Careers at Vigor Industrial
http://vigorindustrial.com/jobs

Source of News: 

Vigor Industrial
http://vigorindustrial.com

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Ketchikan, Alaska

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