Alaska governor says state will use private ferry companies

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities will use one or more private companies to operate ferries during an ongoing breakdown in state service, the governor said.

Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the state needs private companies to operate ferries to coastal communities, The Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday.

“We’re going to have to rely on the private sector as a stopgap to some degree,” Dunleavy said Wednesday.

Only one of the state’s fleet of 12 ships is operating, with four laid up in temporary storage and seven undergoing overhauls for...