 M/V Fairweather Construction Begins with Cutting Ceremony July 17, 2002
"This cutting ceremony represents much more than the start of building a ship," Perkins said to the more than 200 people that attended Monday's ceremony. "This ceremony represents progress - progress towards implementing our regional transportation plans, progress towards improving service and reducing costs of Alaska's Marine Highway System, and progress towards developing the economy of the Alaska's coastal communities." The M/V Fairweather is the first of two vessels scheduled to be built at Derecktor Shipyards. A third vessel is partially funded and is under contract discussions with an option for a fourth vessel. The new vessels are designed to be safe, high-speed passenger and vehicle catamaran ferries that minimize costs and interface with existing AMHS docks and facilities. They will be able to carry 250 passengers on the passenger deck and 35 large vehicles on the vehicle deck at a sustained speed of 32 knots. Derecktor Shipyards was founded by Bob Derecktor in 1947 in Mamaroneck, New York, as a yacht construction and repair facility and soon began diversifying into the construction of commercial craft. Experimenting with aluminum construction techniques, Derecktor through the years developed the building methods and set today's high standards for aluminum boat construction. Advanced
engineering and the high level of craftsmanship of its work-force
has put Derecktor Shipyards in the forefront of the high-tech
aluminum ship-building industry, a position that Derecktor has
maintained for over 50 years through hard work and constant innovation. Source of News Release:
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