January 16, 2003
Thursday - 11:45 pm

In celebration of the first anniversary of the implementation of daily scheduled passenger and vehicle ferry service between Hollis and Ketchikan, the Inter-Island Ferry Authority (IFA) held a mini-cruise around Pennock Island and lunch aboard the M/V Prince of Wales on Wednesday.

The hour and a half celebration event was attended by over 40 invited guests including IFA and local Ketchikan officials. Borough Mayor Mike Salazar and the City of Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein attended the anniversary celebration. Also in attendance were Borough Assemblymembers George Tipton, David Landis, Jack Shay, and Sam Bergeron.

Dewey Duvall, Chair of the IFA Board of Directors, was the featured speaker. Duvall said the innovative people and the transportation excellence celebrated on Wednesday merged

Dewey Duvall Chair of the IFA Board of Directors Photo by Gigi Pilcher

from necessity seven years ago to a dream that has come to be a reality. He said many challenges have been overcome and that the IFA is most appreciative of the unwavering support of the communities involved.

Duvall said, "We have lost a concessionaire and had many costly set backs - a tragic beginning to what I believe a very bright future." He said the Board of Directors of the Inter-Island Ferry Authority didn't look back and even through the difficult economic times and months of uncertainty, these leaders found a way to plan a new daily transportation link from Hollis to Ketchikan - the M/V Prince of Wales.

"The vessel Prince of Wales includes some state of the art equipment and provides a pleasant working environment and we are very proud of that fact," Duvall said.

He said the IFA's commitment to goals of excellence is based on more than one or two years of progress generated by a few hundred dedicated people who were determined to move forward. "We here today know better than anyone else how important process and product innovations are to profit our communities at large," Duvall said.

He said he is excited about the work they do and excited about forming closer partnerships with each other as corporate citizens, with customers, and with suppliers.

The IFA is committed to providing the highest quality transportation at a reasonable price, Duvall said.

Duvall said the IFA's bench marks - the pros and cons over the last year are as follows:

• In 2002, 51,000 passengers made one way trips, this was the 2nd highest year on record, reversing a nine year long decline. Today the Hollis - Ketchikan route is the most heavily trafficked ferry route in southeast.
• During 2002 the Inter-Island Ferry Authority completed 464 round trips , which double the service offered in prior years.
• 100% of employees reside in Southeast Alaska, living in communities of Craig, Hollis, Ketchikan, Coffman Cove and Wrangell.
• In 2002 IFA had a net operating loss of $86,000, about 4% of revenues. In 2003 with only a small increase in both traffic revenue and cost of operations. The IFA is projecting a surplus of about $ 139,000.
• The Inter-Island Ferry Authority created 22 year-round jobs, with an annual payroll of about one million dollars and is expected to have about the same payroll on the Northern Route serving Coffman Cove, Wrangell and Petersburg.
• Federal funding is in place for the second IFA vessel M/V Stikine and the IFA is working presently on funding sources for the match of 2.6 million.

Duvall said, "The spirit is still glowing - the spirit in the hearts of the founders of this organization over seven years ago.That spirit still lives here making better things happen for a brighter tomorrow. We recognize that spirit. We respect it. We appreciate it."

"I am an optimist when it comes to the future of IFA. You've heard it said that the pessimist is the guy who, when opportunity knocks, complains about the noise. Thank goodness that's not the style of those here today. Competition to IFA simply means opportunity - opportunity to cooperate and improve performance on quality and responsiveness," Duvall said.

He said he looks at IFA for the coming years and sees a wide-open window of opportunity and that the last seven years has positioned the IFA better than ever to come out winners.

In his closing remarks Duvall said, "the rest of the decade will be a time of great innovation and excitement in the area of marine transportation, services and products. I

Movie: "Good Ship Prince of Wales" as performed by Jack Shay. 364K mpg

say let's put on a face of enthusiasm and walk with a spring in our step. I say let's go for it, let's move out and ahead!"

At the end of the program, Jack Shay offered to sing and cheerfully sang out a song about the M/V Prince of Wales sung to the tune of "The Good Ship Lollipop" which amused and entertained the guests. Shay is a Ketchikan Borough Assemblymember.

According to information provided by IFA Marketing Director Len Laurance the Inter-Island Ferry Authority introduced daily round-trip passenger/vehicle ferry sailings between Hollis and Ketchikan twelve months ago with the M/V Prince of Wales starting service on Jan. 15, 2002.

The lunch was hosted by First Bank, Petro Marine Services and NAPA Auto Parts.

Archived story:

Ketchikan Welcomes The New M/V Prince of Wales Ferry...
Sitnews - December 30, 2001

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