Summary of the Rainforest Islands Ferry Business Plan Introduction: The City of Coffman Cove has organized the Northend Port Authority under the Alaska Municipal Port Authority Act, AS 29.35.600-730, to restore passenger/vehicle ferry service between Coffman Cove, Wrangell and South Mitkof Terminal. This service will provide year-around transportation between communities on Prince of Wales Island, Wrangell, and Petersburg. A new summer season service will also be provided between Coffman Cove and Ketchikan. This service, called the Rainforest Islands Ferry, will include mini-coach service between Coffman Cove and other Prince of Wales Island communities. Mini-coach service will also connect South Mitkof Terminal with Petersburg. Ferry service is planned to begin in spring 2011.
Routes: Figure 1 is a route map showing the planned service area, including ferry routes between Coffman Cove, Wrangell, and South Mitkof, and between Coffman Cove and Ketchikan, with mini-coach routes between Craig/Klawock, Coffman Cove and Hollis, and between Petersburg and South Mitkof. These routes interface with Inter-island Ferry Authority (IFA) service at Hollis, and Alaska Marine Highway (AMHS) service at Ketchikan, Wrangell, and Petersburg.
The Vessel: Deck plans, general characteristics and a photo of a representative vessel are included herein as Figures 2 and 3. Similar vessels certificated by the U.S. Coast Guard under 46 CFR, Subchapter T are currently for sale in U.S. Gulf ports. These vessels are capable of conversion as passenger/vehicle ferries, with capacity of at least 49 passengers, twelve autos, and several motorcycles, kayaks, canoes, bicycles, as well as totes for baggage and deck cargo. The vessels can be re-certificated for operation in exposed waters of Southeast Alaska, with minor modifications only. The deck plans, general characteristics and photo of the vessel in Figures 2 and 3 generally represent details of the intended conversion. Because cargo deck dimensions and passenger deck configurations of these vessels differ, design of the conversion and its approval for recertification by the U.S. Coast Guard will follow selection of a specific vessel for purchase. A lease purchase proposal for one of these vessels has been received; this and other vessels will be considered. SeaCraft Design, LLC, Naval Architects and Marine Engineers are preparing design concepts for conversion and recertification of the vessel. This firm is a leading U.S. designer of Crew/FSV’s for new construction.
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Characteristics of this vessel are as follows: Length, overall
155 ft.
Breadth, extreme
30 ft.
Deadweight, Cargo Deck
150 LT
Dimensions, Cargo Deck
86 ft. length 26 ft. breadth
Main Engines (6)
4080 HP
Service Speed (economy)
20 knots
Passenger Capacity
60
Passenger Seating, no.
83 Inside, 14 Outside
Passenger Seating, approx. number, and type
32 Low-back dinette 24 Mid-back observation 27 High-back recliner 14 Mid-back outside
Vehicle Capacity Full-size Autos, Ford Expedition 17’-2” x 6’-8”, 5,600 lb. GVWR, typ. Intermediate Autos, Subaru Legacy 15’-6” x 5’-5”, 3,300 lb. GVWR, typ. Total Maximum GVWR, Class A motorhome, typ. Other Cargo Deck Capacity, compatible with full load of 12 autos
10 2 12 36,000 lb.
2 motorcycles 4 kayaks/canoes 4 bicycles 3 totes or pallets (baggage and deck cargo)
Crew, 12 hr. day
1 Master 2 Deckhands
Crew, 24 hr. day
1 Master 1 Mate 2 Deckhands
Crew Accommodations:
3 Staterooms
Terminals: Applications are being submitted for the vessel to dock at the following terminals: Coffman Cove:
City Ferry Terminal
Wrangell:
AMHS Ferry Terminal and/or Borough Barge Terminal
South Mitkof:
AMHS Ferry Terminal
Ketchikan:
AMHS Ferry Terminal, Berth 3
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At Wrangell, planned terminal use would occasionally coincide with AMHS arrivals and departures at the AMHS Ferry Terminal, necessitating use of the Borough Barge Terminal to maintain a regular timetable. At Ketchikan, this ferry’s evening arrivals, overnight lay-by, and morning departures are compatible with 2010 summer use of Berth 3 by IFA and AMHS.
Home Port and Employment: Coffman Cove would be the home port of this ferry service and its home office would be housed in the existing City Ferry Terminal building. Employees and their home bases would be as follows: Position Manager General Office, including Reservations, Ticketing, Bookkeeping Master Deckhands Port Deckhands Chef Mini-Coach Driver Mini-Coach Driver Total
No. FTE
Location
1
Coffman Cove
1 1 2 2 1 1 _.5 9.5
Coffman Cove Coffman Cove Coffman Cove Coffman Cove Coffman Cove Craig Petersburg
Timetables: Tables 1 and 2 are summer and winter timetables for the proposed ferry service. These timetables are to offer the following:
Convenient times for traffic to arrive and depart at all ports.
Regular daily arrival and departure times, facilitating trip planning.
Maximum frequency throughout the week, consistent with limited traffic and revenue potential.
Same-day connections with Alaska Airlines service at Wrangell.
Use of AMHS Ketchikan Ferry Terminal Berth 3 when not in use by IFA and AMHS.
A variety of options for same-day, two-day/one-night and three-day/two-night round trips.
Summer travel loops to and from Prince of Wales, via Coffman Cove in one direction and Hollis in the other.
Year-around round trips to and from Prince of Wales Island, Wrangell and Petersburg, via Coffman Cove.
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Compatibility with reasonable working hours for a single day crew on the vessel, offering a maximum number of summer working hours, with sufficient time off and minimal duration of a complete year of work.
Food and Beverage Service: On-board food and beverage service will offer passengers and crew a menu of high-quality foods and beverages, with labor cost compatible with a small volume of sales. Retail sales of mementos and travel sundries will also be available.
Minicoach Service: Mini-coach services are planned to meet all ferry arrivals and departures at Coffman Cove and South Mitkof year-around; in summer the Prince of Wales Island mini-coach service will offer travel loops via selected IFA arrival and departures at Hollis. The proposed “mini-coach” is a Mercedes Sprinter, Model 2500, 170 inch wheel base high roof, “upfitted” with 14 passenger seats arranged coach-style on a center aisle. The mini-coach would pull a Wells Cargo closed trailer for baggage and parcel express, modified with a top rack for four kayaks or canoes. The mini-coach service will offer a convenient travel alternative for walk-on passengers, and should be capable of increasing the ferry’s passenger load factor. The mini-coach’s ability to carry kayakers and canoeists to put ins and take outs along Prince of Wales highways will be a new service facilitating paddling trips in Prince of Wales Island waters, especially loops, without an accompanying vehicle and without arranging costly rendezvous’ with shoreside transport.
Financing: Application is being made for a $2.7 million financing of capital items by U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development (USDA-RD). Financing may include direct loans by USDARD, loan guarantees by USDA-RD to other participating lenders, and other financing; a tax exempt lease-purchase has been proposed by GE Government Finance. The ferry service’s $1.3 million annual operating costs will be paid from earned revenues.
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Figure 1
Figure 2
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Figure 3
Table 1 Northend Port Authority and Alaska SeaRoad LLC Passenger/Vehicle Service MV Rainforest Islands Ferry Timetable a. Summer - 1
Routing
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Total
(Hours ADT, exc. PDT as indicated)
Northbound: b.
– –
8:00 A 11:42 A
b.
– –
8:00 A 11:42 A
b.
Lv Ketchikan Ar Coffman Cv.
– –
8:00 A 11:42 A
– –
Lv Coffman Cv. Ar Wrangell
9:00 A 11:00 A
– –
9:00 A 11:00 A
– –
9:00 A 11:00 A
12:00 M 2:00 P
– –
Lv Wrangell Ar S. Mitkof
11:20 A 12:06 P
– –
11:20 A 12:06 P
– –
11:20 A 12:06 P
2:20 P 3:06 P
– –
12:30 P 1:15 P
– –
12:30 P 1:15 P
– –
12:30 P 1:15 P
3:30 P 4:15 P
– –
Lv Wrangell Ar Coffman Cv.
1:35 P 3:35 P
– –
1:35 P 3:35 P
– –
1:35 P 3:35 P
4:35 P 6:35 P
– –
Lv Coffman Cv. Ar Ketchikan
4:00 P 7:42 P
– –
4:00 P 7:42 P
– –
4:00 P 7:42 P
Southbound: Lv S. Mitkof Ar Wrangell
Day Crew, hr. Night Deckhand, hr.
12 12
5 14
c.
12 12
b.
5 14
c.
12 12
b.
– –
– –
12 12
-024
58 100
a. Four round trips/week between Coffman Cove, Wrangell and South Mitkof. Three round trips/week between Coffman Cove and Ketchikan. Overnights at Coffman Cove (4/wk.) and Ketchikan (3/wk.) b. Vessel will bunker, water, and discharge wastewater and solid waste after arrival and/or before departure at Ketchikan. c. Shoreside staff attends vessel at Coffman Cove 5 hr.
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Table 2 Northend Port Authority and Alaska SeaRoad LLC Passenger/Vehicle Service MV Rainforest Island Ferry Timetable a., b. Winter
Routing
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Total
(Hours ADT, exc. PDT as indicated)
Northbound: Lv Coffman Cv. Ar Wrangell Lv Wrangell Ar S. Mitkof
9:00 A 11:00 A 11:20 A 12:06 P
– – – –
– – – –
9:00 A 11:00 A 11:20 A 12:06 P
– – – –
9:00 A 11:00 A 11:20 A 12:06 P
– – – –
12:30 P 1:15 P
– –
– –
12:30 P 1:15 P
– –
12:30 P 1:15 P
– –
1:35 P 3:35 P
– –
– –
1:35 P 3:35 P
– –
1:35 P 3:35 P
– –
Southbound: Lv S. Mitkof Ar Wrangell Lv Wrangell Ar Coffman Cv.
Day Crew, hr. Night Deckhand, hr.
8 16
–
– 16
16
8 16
– 16
8 16
– 24
24 120
a. Three round trips/week between Coffman Cove, Wrangell, and South Mitkof. Seven overnights at Coffman Cove each week. b. Vessel bunkers at Coffman Cove or South Mitkof; vessel waters, and discharges wastewater and solid waste at Coffman Cove.
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