Tustumena repairs interrupt services to three Aleutian communities

M/V Tustumena will not make stops in False Pass, Akutan or Unalaska in May. A spokesman for the Alaska Marine Highway System said the state ferry is undergoing a leak repair before its seasonal launch this year.

The 60-year-old ferry, which serves more than 10 Southwest Alaska communities from May through September, was scheduled to arrive in Unalaska on May 18, but won’t come to the island until June.

According to a spokesman for the Alaska Marine Highway System, a “stuffing box leak” was discovered when the Tustumena entered the water at a shipyard in Seward. The state ferry had to be dry docked for a day to replace the compromised seal.

However, repair delays for Tustumena have been an ongoing problem. As of 2020, the number of ferry stops in the region has decreased due to state budget cuts. Last year, local, state and federal officials were in Unalaska discussing the future of the state ferry, saying the Tustumena would be the first of its fleet to be replaced.

The Marine Highway spokesman said May’s cancellations would bring Tustumena back on schedule later this season, keeping June’s schedule on track. Affected customers are being contacted for a refund or rebooking.

Tustumena is the only state ferry that sails to the Aleutian Islands. For more information about the state ferry and its schedule, visit the Alaska Marine Highway System website.