The state ferry Columbia is holding in Ketchikan for repairs and will miss this week’s run through Southeast because of a mechanical problem with the port main engine, according to an announcement from the Alaska Marine Highway System.
“An engine tech is scheduled to arrive in Ketchikan on Wednesday evening (Nov. 4), and repairs are scheduled to begin Thursday morning. We hope to resume northbound service Sunday, Nov. 8, picking up the schedule which is already in place for that day,” Alaska Department of Transportation spokesman Gabe Strong said Monday.
That would put the ship back on schedule for its northbound stop in Wrangell on Sunday, Nov. 8, after missing the Nov. 1 northbound sailing.
The ferry’s weekly southbound stop in Wrangell on Wednesday, Nov. 4, was canceled.
The Columbia has been parked in Ketchikan since Sunday, when engineers started looking for the problem and a fix.
“Following technical inspection, replacement engine components (a cylinder liner and piston) are required,” according to the ferry system, which reported it “has secured the necessary spare parts and a specialized Wärtsilä technician will be in Ketchikan on Thursday to perform the repairs alongside our engineering crew.”
It’s the second breakdown in two weeks for the ship, which makes weekly runs between Bellingham, Washington, and Southeast Alaska ports.
The Columbia was delayed last week in Bellingham for more than 24 hours due to a problem with a piston sleeve in its engine and had to skip some stops on its mainline route through Southeast to make up for lost time, including a stop in Wrangell.
After a winter layup for annual maintenance at the Ketchikan shipyard, the Columbia was delayed in returning to service earlier this year after problems arose with the turbine that powers the bow thruster which aids the ship’s maneuverability.
The Columbia is the largest vessel in the fleet and has been in service since 1974.
