After $30 Million Repair, M/V Kennicott Won't Run This Summer Due To Lack Of A Crew

Alaska's ferries are named after glaciers. The Kennicott was named in 1997 by 12-year old Leah Jarvis   of the Copper Valley in a statewide student essay contest. 

Excited stories in the Alaska news about the M/V Kennicott, one of the Alaska Ferry System's fleet of ferries, coming back on board this summer after renovations have jumped the gun. 

According to its DOT website, the M/V Kennicott is designed to carry 499 passengers and can carry between 67 and 78 vehicles. It has 48 four-bert cabins, 34 two-berth cabins and 24 roomettes, as well as 3 wheelchair accessible cabins. 

Although major repairs amounting to almost $30 million have just been completed on the ferry, there's just one glitch for getting it back online. 

The state can't find a crew to run it. 

According to a story in the Wrangell Sentinel on January 7th, 2026, the state has repeatedly been trying to find staff for the ferry. The ferry Columbia is in the shop for overhaul, and it will go back on the Bellingham-to-Southeast route starting in May. According to Shannon McCarthy, of DOT, who responded to an email from the Wrangell Sentinel in December, "While the Kennicott and Columbia are both available this summer, we currently only have the crewing for one vessel."

And that vessel is the Columbia. 

Apparently unaward of the problem, on Friday, January 6th, Alaska Business Magazine wrote: