67 JULY 2026 PHOTO: ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC FACILITIES T homa-Sea Marine Construc- tors, L.L.C. was identified as the apparent low bidder for the Alaska Department of Transpor- tation & Public Facilities’ (DOT&PF) Tustumena replacement vessel (TRV). The Louisiana-based shipbuild- er submitted a public bid price of $349,996,251.00 to construct the new, state-of-the-art vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). The contract bid opening marks the first major AMHS vessel procurement in more than a decade and represents a significant milestone in implementing the AMHS 2045 Long-Range Plan, which identified replacement of the aging Tustumena as one of the system’s highest priorities to improve reliability and preserve service to coastal Alaska communities. The replacement of the Tustumena will be one of the largest investments ever made in the Alaska Marine Highway System. The new vessel will bring improved reliability, enhanced safety, increased operation- al flexibility, and modern efficient systems that will better serve the com- munities connected by the AMHS. Under the state’s procurement proce- dures, the shipyard had a 14-day win- dow to submit remaining required doc- umentation. Upon successful review and validation of these materials, the department will move forward with a formal intention to award the contract. The Tustumena entered service in 1964 and over more than six decades of service became an iconic part of Alaska’s transportation system, pro- viding dependable service to commu- nities that rely on marine transporta- tion. The vessel connects residents, businesses, visitors, and freight across Southcentral Alaska, the Alaska Pen- insula, and the eastern Aleutians. “The design of this vessel was shaped by the experience of our captains, en- gineers, terminal staff, shoreside em- ployees, and the communities that rely on this route,” said DOT&PF Com- missioner Ryan Anderson. “That col- laborative effort has produced a vessel specifically designed for Alaska’s de- manding operating environment and the unique challenges of serving the Aleutian Chain.” Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors recently completed construction of a state-of-the-art fisheries research vessel now operating in Alaska, demonstrat- ing its ability to successfully deliver complex vessels designed for Alaska’s demanding operating environment. MEMBER NEWS Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors Apparent Low Bidder for New AMHS Vessel The Tustumena, in service since 1964, will be replaced to improve reliability of service to coastal Alaska communities.
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