The Alaska Marine Highway System released its 2024 summer schedule, and the M/V Tustumena is scheduled to make one Aleutian chain run a month from May through September, totaling five port calls in Dutch Harbor.
The “Trusty Tusty" celebrates her sixtieth birthday this year. The aging ferry has spent much of the last year in dry dock for repairs while the state races to build a replacement for the iconic ship.
The ferry’s first visit to Unalaska is scheduled for May 18. The ferry regularly made two Aleutian runs a month before pandemic-era travel restrictions led to reduced service. This is the fourth year the ferry will operate under that slimmed-down schedule. Communities without regular, direct flights to Anchorage — like Akutan and False Pass — are especially feeling the crunch.
The state is currently seeking bids for a contractor to build the Tustumena’s replacement — they aim to have the new ferry ocean-ready by 2027.
Ferry-goers can now book passage for summer sailings — the Tustumena is scheduled to arrive in Dutch Harbor on the following dates:
May 18
June 15
July 27
Aug. 24
Sept. 14
