Columbia ferry expected to depart Ketchikan early Wednesday after 10-day repair delay

Work on 52-year-old mainline vessel expected to occur overnight Tuesday after key engine part arrives during the afternoon; ship expected in Juneau on Thursday

The Columbia state ferry is scheduled to depart Ketchikan at about 4 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, after being stuck in that city for 10 days while awaiting repairs, according to the Alaska Marine Highway System. (Screenshot from Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities video)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

A key engine part for the Columbia state ferry arrived in Ketchikan on Tuesday afternoon, with workers expected to immediately begin about eight hours of installation and safety testing in the hope of allowing the ship to resume service early Wednesday morning, according to an Alaska Marine Highway System announcement.

The 52-year-old Columbia has been stuck in Ketchikan since a week ago Sunday due to trouble with its port main engine. An initial timetable called for repairs to be completed last Thursday, but that was pushed to early this week due to the late arrival of a replacement piston from its manufacturer in Germany.

The part arrived in Ketchikan at 3:22 p.m. Tuesday, according to a service update on the ferry system’s website.

"If all goes as planned with arrival and installation, the M/V Columbia is scheduled to depart Ketchikan northbound on Wednesday, November 11, at 4:45 AM," the update notes.

A revised schedule calls for the Columbia to arrive in Juneau at 1:30 p.m. Thursday and depart at 3:30 p.m. for Haines. It is scheduled to arrive again for the southbound trip at 6:30 a.m. Friday and depart at 3:15 p.m.

The schedule during the rest of the month calls for the Columbia to arrive in Juneau on Wednesdays for northbound sailings and Thursdays for southbound. The ship is scheduled to undergo winter maintenance at the end of November and the Kennicott will take over the route between Southeast Alaska and Bellingham, Washington, starting Dec. 2.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or 907-957-2306.