The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) has identified Louisiana-based shipbuilder Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors as the apparent low bidder for the construction of the TUSTUMENA replacement vessel (TRV).
The yard submitted a bid of USD 349.9 million for the new vessel, which will be built for the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS). Under Alaska’s procurement process, Thoma-Sea now has 14 days to submit the remaining required documentation before the state can issue a formal Notice of Intent to Award.
The project marks the first major AMHS vessel procurement in more than a decade and is a key element of the Alaska Marine Highway System 2045 Long-Range Plan.
The new vessel will replace TUSTUMENA, which entered service in 1964 and remains a vital link for communities across Southcentral Alaska, the Alaska Peninsula and the eastern Aleutian Islands. The ferry currently serves ports including Homer, Kodiak, Sand Point, King Cove, Cold Bay, Akutan and Unalaska.
According to DOT&PF, the replacement vessel has been designed with input from vessel crews, shore staff and local communities to meet the specific operational requirements of Alaska’s challenging environment.
Founded in 1990, Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors operates shipbuilding and repair facilities in Louisiana. The company recently delivered ARCTIC FJORD, a fisheries research vessel now operating in Alaska.
Source: https://dot.alaska.gov/comm/pressbox/arch2026/PR26-0018.shtml
Rendering: https://glosten.com/project/mv-tustumena-replacement-design/
