# MV Taku

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MV Taku History Name Taku Namesake Taku Glacier, Juneau, Alaska Owner Alaska Marine Highway System Port of registry United States Builder Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock Company, Seattle, Washington Cost $4.5 Million USD[1] Launched 2 July 1962[2] Commissioned 1963 Identification IMO number: 5351052 MMSI number: 338697000 Callsign: WI9491 Fate Scrapped 21 April 2018 General characteristics Class & type Malaspina-class mainline ferry Tonnage 2,625 Domestic 7,302 International[clarification needed][3] Displacement 4,283 long tons (4,352 t)[3] Length 352 ft (107 m)[3] Beam 74 ft (23 m)[3] Draft 16 ft 11 in (5.16 m)[3] Decks One vehicle deck, three passenger decks [4] Ramps Aft, port, and starboard ro-ro loading Installed power Two 4,000 hp MaK Diesel engines [4] Speed 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)[3] Capacity 370 passengers 69 vehicles[3] Crew 42[3]

**M/V *Taku*** was a *Malaspina*-class mainline vessel built for the [Alaska Marine Highway System](/source/Alaska_Marine_Highway_System). The ship has been retired and was sold to a Dubai-based company for $171,000.[5] The owner sought to sell the ferry internationally, and was unsuccessful, and it was last seen beached in [Alang](/source/Alang), [India](/source/India), to be scrapped.

## History

Designed by [Philip F. Spaulding](/source/Philip_F._Spaulding) & Associates, constructed in 1963 by the [Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock Company](/source/Puget_Sound_Bridge_and_Dredging_Company) in [Seattle](/source/Seattle), [Washington](/source/Washington_(state)),[1] the M/V *Taku* is named after [Taku Glacier](/source/Taku_Glacier) which is located just southeast of [Juneau](/source/Juneau%2C_Alaska), [Alaska](/source/Alaska), and has been in the ferry system for over forty years. In 1981, the *Taku* received a major refurbishment[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] and was in service steadily until the summer of 2015 when she was laid up due to budget considerations.[6][7] The AMHS subsequently announced that it would retire the vessel in preparation for sale or scrapping.[8]

## Role

As a mainline ferry, *Taku* served the larger of the inside passage communities (such as [Ketchikan](/source/Ketchikan%2C_Alaska), [Petersburg](/source/Petersburg%2C_Alaska), and [Sitka](/source/Sitka%2C_Alaska)), its route primarily stayed between [Ketchikan](/source/Ketchikan%2C_Alaska) and [Skagway](/source/Skagway%2C_Alaska) in [Southeast Alaska](/source/Southeast_Alaska).

The M/V *Taku* was the largest of the three AMHS vessels able to serve the communities of [Hoonah](/source/Hoonah%2C_Alaska) and [Kake](/source/Kake%2C_Alaska) and because of this served as a critical component of providing transportation out of Hoonah and Kake after the "milk run" ferry, the [MV *LeConte*](/source/MV_LeConte) hit a rock and went into [dry dock](/source/Dry_dock).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Amenities

The *Taku*'s amenities included a hot-food cafeteria; bar; solarium; forward, aft, recliner, movie, and business lounges; gift shop; 8 four-berth cabins; and 36 two-berth cabins.

## Accidents and Incidents

- On April 23rd, 1963 the *Taku* struck a rock outside [Petersburg](/source/Petersburg%2C_Alaska) in a minus tide. She returned to service on May 3rd.[1]

- On August 8th, 1963 two boys entered the wheelhouse when the *Taku* was preparing to leave Petersburg, and engaged the engines. The resulting damage to the dock left the vehicle loading ramp out of commission for three months.[1]

- On July 29th, 1970, the *Taku* ran aground on Kinihan Island, outside of [Prince Rupert](/source/Prince_Rupert%2C_British_Columbia), [Canada](/source/Canada). All passengers on board were evacuated safely, and the cars were transferred to the BC Ferry *[MV Queen of Prince Rupert](/source/MV_Queen_of_Prince_Rupert)* [1]

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cohen_p16_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cohen_p16_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Cohen_p16_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Cohen_p16_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Cohen_p16_1-4) Cohen (1994), p. 16

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["*Taku* (5351052)"](https://www.miramarshipindex.nz/ship/5351052). [Miramar Ship Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Miramar). Retrieved 16 February 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-AMHS_Profile_3-7) Vessel Profiles, *M/V Taku*

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Welcome_Aboard_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Welcome_Aboard_4-1) Welcome Aboard

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Brooks, James (2018-01-23). ["'Bittersweet for Alaska': Beloved ferry Taku just sold to a Dubai company"](http://juneauempire.com/news/state/2018-01-23/bittersweet-alaska-beloved-ferry-taku-just-sold-dubai-company). *Juneau Empire*. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Takulaidup_6-0)** Westmoreland, Charles (13 May 2015). ["AMHS ferry Taku beached for the summer"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150912195614/http://juneauempire.com/state/2015-05-13/amhs-ferry-taku-beached-summer). *Juneau Empire*. Archived from [the original](http://juneauempire.com/state/2015-05-13/amhs-ferry-taku-beached-summer) on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Takusale_7-0)** Bowman, Nick (13 September 2015). ["AMHS may explore selling Taku ferry"](http://juneauempire.com/state/2015-10-12/amhs-may-explore-selling-taku-ferry). *Juneau Empire*. Retrieved 13 September 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-KDNMarineHighway_8-0)** [AMHS focus of SE Conference](http://www.ketchikandailynews.com/premium/AMHS-2-25). Bowman, Nick. *[Ketchikan Daily News](/source/Ketchikan_Daily_News)*, 25 February 2017

## References

- Cohen, Stan. (1997). *Highway on the Sea: A Pictorial History of the Alaska Marine Highway System*. Missoula, MT: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Inc. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-929521-87-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-929521-87-9).

- ["Vessel Profiles"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130330005353/http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/vessel_profiles.shtml). Alaska Department of Transportation. Archived from [the original](http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/vessel_profiles.shtml) on March 30, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2012.

- *Welcome Aboard! M/V Taku*. Alaska Marine Highway pamphlet.

- ["'Bittersweet for Alaska': Beloved ferry Taku just sold to a Dubai company"](http://juneauempire.com/news/state/2018-01-23/bittersweet-alaska-beloved-ferry-taku-just-sold-dubai-company). Juneau Empire. 2018-01-23. Retrieved May 25, 2018.

## External links

- [Official Alaska Marine Highway System website](http://www.ferryalaska.com)

- [M/S Taku.](http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/taku_1963.htm)

v t e Alaska Marine Highway System Vessels Aurora Columbia LeConte Lituya Kennicott Tazlina Tustumena Malaspina Matanuska Retired Vessels Bartlett Chenega Chilkat Fairweather Taku Wickersham Hubs Ketchikan Juneau Whittier Homer Other ports Akutan Angoon Bartlett Cove/Glacier Bay Bellingham Chenega Bay Chignik Cold Bay Cordova False Pass Haines Homer Hoonah Kake King Cove Metlakatla Petersburg Port Lions Prince Rupert Sand Point Seldovia Sitka Skagway Tatitlek Tenakee Springs Dutch Harbor/Unalaska Valdez Whittier Wrangell Yakutat Website: dot.alaska.gov/amhs/

v t e Ships designed by Philip F. Spaulding Alaska Marine Highway Malaspina class Malaspina Matanuska Taku LeConte class LeConte Aurora Tustumena EL Bartlett Columbia BC Ferries Sidney class Queen of Sidney Queen of Tsawwassen V class Queen of Victoria Queen of Vancouver Queen of Saanich Queen of Esquimalt Burnaby class Queen of Burnaby Queen of Nanaimo New Westminster class Queen of New Westminster C class Queen of Coquitlam Queen of Cowichan Queen of Oak Bay Queen of Surrey Queen of Alberni Black Ball Line Coho Golden Gate Ferry Marin Sausalito San Francisco NOAA Miller Freeman San Diego and Coronado Crown City Washington State Jumbo class Walla Walla Spokane Whatcom County Whatcom Chief Young Life Malibu Princess

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