Malaspina repairs to limit winter ferry service

One of Southeast's primary ferries will be out of service longer than expected as it

undergoes annual maintenance, affecting the winter schedule.

The Alaska Marine Highway System announced last week the M/V Malaspina will be out of commission several months longer than expected. The vessel went in for its annual overhaul and certification on October 1, with the intention of returning it to service on December 22.

During the overhaul engineers determined an extensive replacement of the craft's steel was needed, and that both its propeller hubs require repair. But due to limited shipyard space,...