http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dc/Alaska_Marine_Highway_Logo.png

The Alaska Marine Highway is a ferry service operated by the government of the U.S. state of Alaska. Ferries serve communities in Southeastern Alaska that have no road access, and the vessels can transport people, freight, and vehicles. AMHS's 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of routes go as far south as Bellingham, Washington in the contiguous United States and as far west as Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, with a total of 32 terminals throughout Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington. The AMHS carries around 350,000 passengers and 100,000 vehicles every year.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Amhs.svg/800px-Amhs.svg.png
Map of the Alaska Marine Highway System.

The Alaska Marine Highway system consists of the following vessels.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/MV_Malaspina_HNS.jpg/800px-MV_Malaspina_HNS.jpg
M/V Malaspina:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/AMHS_MV_Aurora.jpg
MV Aurora:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Fast_Ferry_Chenega_at_Sitka.jpg/800px-Fast_Ferry_Chenega_at_Sitka.jpg
Chenega Fast Ferry:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Fairweatherferry.jpg/800px-Fairweatherferry.jpg
Fairweather Fast Ferry:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/MV_Matanuska_WNarrows.jpg/800px-MV_Matanuska_WNarrows.jpg
MV Matanuska:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/MV_Taku_BW.jpg/800px-MV_Taku_BW.jpg
MV Taku:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/MV_Kennicott_Alaska_Ferry_Front_and_Side_2048px.jpg/800px-MV_Kennicott_Alaska_Ferry_Front_and_Side_2048px.jpg
MV Kennicott:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/MV_LeCONTE_ferry.JPG/800px-MV_LeCONTE_ferry.JPG
MV LeConte:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/85/MV_Tustumena_at_Kodiak_%28November_2006%29.jpg/800px-MV_Tustumena_at_Kodiak_%28November_2006%29.jpg
MV Tustumena:

Most Alaska Marine Highway System vessels are built for multiple-day voyages due to the large distances between ports. Because of this, larger vessels (M/V Tustumena and larger) come with staterooms, while all mainline vessels have solariums, showers, and lounges for sleeping. Hot food services and, on the M/V Columbia, a sit-down restaurant are also offered.

Ll4tb9Gy050

gVJ3ovbEVkc&

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4765995246_e7e1ea9e23_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765995246/)
Trip to Alaska June 2010 - 0208 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765995246/) by lizstless (http://www.flickr.com/people/lizstless/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4765998250_633180c7ba_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765998250/)
Trip to Alaska June 2010 - 0212 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765998250/) by lizstless (http://www.flickr.com/people/lizstless/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4765996382_66e5f5a784_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765996382/)
Trip to Alaska June 2010 - 0210 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765996382/) by lizstless (http://www.flickr.com/people/lizstless/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4320394679_dc5f4ef8f7_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gillfoto/4320394679/)
M/V Taku with Douglas Mtns (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gillfoto/4320394679/) by gillfoto (http://www.flickr.com/people/gillfoto/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4742942793_a0cb6a87a3_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/veisto/4742942793/)
170620102004 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/veisto/4742942793/) by V31S70 (http://www.flickr.com/people/veisto/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/2522621068_5757768ce1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/clockbound/2522621068/)
IMG_0374 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/clockbound/2522621068/) by clock.bound (http://www.flickr.com/people/clockbound/), on Flickr

Alaska Class Ferry Project (http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/index.shtml)

Alaska Class Ferry will be the next generation of ferries for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). The design will incorporate state-of-the-art safety features and data gleaned from past projects. As replacements for certain existing vessels, these new vessels will be added to the fleet to operate on routes within Alaska's inside-waters on short routes that will not require overnight accommodations.

Some cenceptual designs of the new ferry.

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/images/image_key.gif

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/images/prelim_port_look_aft.jpg

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/images/prelim_check_stand.jpg

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/images/prelim_port_side.jpg

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/images/prelim_port_look_fwd.jpg

http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/alaska_class/images/prelim_port_look_stbd.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/165855439_7d7e49989a_z.jpg?zz=1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_ballon/165855439/)
Alaska Marine Highway Ferry (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_ballon/165855439/) by the ballon (http://www.flickr.com/people/the_ballon/), on Flickr

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1220/5107685847_38108c359d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdaylyon/5107685847/)
Alaska Marine Highway Ferry (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdaylyon/5107685847/) by Photography by Lyon (http://www.flickr.com/people/kdaylyon/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/2773633691_67d56d0661_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/annaleeblysse/2773633691/)
Riding the Ferry (http://www.flickr.com/photos/annaleeblysse/2773633691/) by AnnaleeBlysse (http://www.flickr.com/people/annaleeblysse/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/3024304225_85307b88ee_z.jpg?zz=1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdaylyon/3024304225/)
alaska marine highway ferry ketchikan 1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdaylyon/3024304225/) by Photography by Lyon (http://www.flickr.com/people/kdaylyon/), on Flickr

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/396787586_c9355e8751_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronfisher/396787586/)
Alaska Marine Highway (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronfisher/396787586/) by aaron fisher (http://www.flickr.com/people/aaronfisher/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5103/5557135428_50077d4aa0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brad_smith/5557135428/)
Ferry from Skagway to Haines - 2010 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brad_smith/5557135428/) by Brad Smith (http://www.flickr.com/people/brad_smith/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4765996382_66e5f5a784_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765996382/)
Trip to Alaska June 2010 - 0210 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizstless/4765996382/) by lizstless (http://www.flickr.com/people/lizstless/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/2884817990_714d81941d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtreaster/2884817990/)
Ferry Innards (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtreaster/2884817990/) by mtreaster (http://www.flickr.com/people/mtreaster/), on Flickr

It was Seattle's birthright to be the southern connection...until about 20 years ago. A travesty I tell you. Not terribly popular among Alaskans at the time either. I'm sure they've come to love Bellingham.

It was Seattle's birthright to be the southern connection...until about 20 years ago. A travesty I tell you. Not terribly popular among Alaskans at the time either. I'm sure they've come to love Bellingham.

At least Seattle has tons of cruise ship services available including a new service by Disney Cruiselines which brings in more tourist revenue. Most people going to Bellingham to use the Alaska Marine Highway ferry probably spend very little time/money in Bellingham anyways.