Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
04/16/2024 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s):|| Board of Marine Pilots | |
| Presentation(s): Alaska Marine Highway System | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
April 16, 2024
1:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Kevin McCabe, Chair
Representative Sarah Vance, Vice Chair
Representative Tom McKay
Representative Jesse Sumner
Representative Louise Stutes
Representative Genevieve Mina
Representative Craig Johnson
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
Board of Marine Pilots
Andrew Mew Anchorage
- CONFIRMATION(S) ADVANCED
PRESENTATION(S): ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY SYSTEM
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
ANDREW MEW, Appointee
Board of Marine Pilots
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as appointee to the Board of
Marine Pilots.
CRAIG TORNGA, Marine Director
Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS)
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Ketchikan, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Gave the Alaska Marine Highway System
presentation.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:02:54 PM
CHAIR KEVIN MCCABE called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:02 p.m. Representatives C.
Johnson, McKay, Vance, Stutes, Mina, and McCabe were present at
the call to order. Representative Sumner arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
^BOARD OF MARINE PILOTS
CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):
BOARD OF MARINE PILOTS
1:03:49 PM
CHAIR MCCABE announced that the first order of business would be
the consideration of the governor's appointee to the Board of
Marine Pilots.
1:05:27 PM
ANDREW MEW, Appointee, Board of Marine Pilots, testified as
appointee to the Board of Marine Pilots and provided a personal
and professional background. He highlighted his work throughout
the state but that he had limited experience in matters
pertaining to the Southeast. He explained that his interest in
serving on the board stems from his experiences the past decade,
which have prepared him for what is appropriate, as well as to
balance the business and economic interests of the state.
1:07:04 PM
CHAIR MCCABE invited questions from committee members.
1:07:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked Mr. Mew whether he was a marine
pilot of any kind.
MR. MEW responded that he was not, but he is a vessel agent who
worked with pilots in coordination with the arrival of vessels.
1:08:23 PM
CHAIR MCCABE inquired whether Mr. Mew was related to a former
Anchorage Police Department officer.
MR. MEW confirmed the officer was his father.
CHAIR MCCABE stated that the House Transportation Standing
Committee has reviewed the qualifications of the governor's
appointee and recommends that the following name be forwarded to
a joint session for consideration: Andrew Mew, Board of Marine
Pilots. He said that signing the report regarding appointments
to boards and commissions in no way reflects an individual
member's approval or disapproval of the appointee, and the
nomination is merely forwarded to the full legislature for
confirmation or rejection.
1:09:15 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:09 p.m. to 1:11 p.m.
^PRESENTATION(S): Alaska Marine Highway System
PRESENTATION(S): Alaska Marine Highway System
1:11:35 PM
CHAIR MCCABE announced that the final order of business would be
the Alaska Marine Highway System presentation.
1:12:14 PM
CRAIG TORNGA, Marine Director, Alaska Marine Highway System
(AMHS), Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
(DOT&PF), began the Alaska Marine Highway System presentation
via a PowerPoint, titled "Alaska Department of Transportation &
Public Facilities" [hard copy included in the committee packet].
He moved to slide 2, titled "Operating Schedule, FY 2023-2024,"
and he briefly summarized sailing schedules.
1:13:28 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:13 p.m.
1:14:10 PM
MR. TORNGA continued to summarize the chart on slide 2. The
slide featured various marine vessels, and he gave examples of
their current status in relation to repairs and AMHS work with
partners.
1:17:15 PM
MR. TORNGA moved to slide 3, titled "Operating Schedule, FY
2024-2025." The slide featured additional vessels, and he
expanded on the repairs needed and timeframes when the vessels
would be ready. He proceeded to slide 4, titled "Crew Status,"
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
•First Quarter 2024 Recruitment Statistics
• First quarter of 2024, we hired 35 and 21 left
•Breaking the first quarter down by position:
• minus two Master, Mates and Pilots (MM&P),
hired one mate and three mates left
• minus one Marine Engineer Beneficial
Association (MEBA), hired zero and one left
• plus two Total Inland Boatman Union (IBU),
hired five and three left
• minus four IBU Engine, hired zero and lost four
• plus 19 IBU Stewards, hired 29 and 10 left
•Losing ground with licensed positions. Total count
last 4 quarters:
• minus five MM&P, hired nine and 14 left
• New hire mates lack local pilotage - It
takes a few years to acquire pilotage
• minus three MEBA, hired four and seven left
1:20:37 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked whether a new program was being
instituted where younger people have an opportunity to work
themselves all the way up to captain of a vessel.
MR. TORNGA replied that entry level positions are being hired
and those employees can work themselves all the way up. He
added that there would be more information on the following
slides.
1:22:10 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA asked about employees who worked for AMHS
and left.
MR. TORNGA responded that he could not relate the reasons for
every employee who left, but some of them left due to payroll
issues. He noted that slide 5, titled "Crew Status," featured a
chart of AMHS crewing operations based on seven crewing ships.
He summarized the numbers on the slide that pertained to
positions filled through positions needed.
1:25:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES observed that although the slide stated
seven ships, six were running, and she sought clarification how
many people were needed for the six.
MR. TORNGA stated that except for engineering, AMHS was close
but still with a deficit of approximately 24 people.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked whether any of the engineers ever
come back.
MR. TORNGA confirmed not yet.
1:26:52 PM
MR. TORNGA proceeded to slide 6, titled "Workforce Development
Goals and Initiatives." The slide featured current initiatives
relating to recruitment and retention. He noted that there are
in-state and out-of-state wages and AMHS does not pay for travel
to come in; therefore, recruitment is challenging. He said new
hires who are Alaska residents are retained at a much higher
percentage and he stressed that AMHS wanted to focus on [hiring]
Alaskans. He further illustrated the various recruitment
strategies of AMHS.
1:31:45 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked Mr. Tornga whether there were exit
surveys for employees.
MR. TORNGA answered that AMHS [does not use exit surveys] but
tries to discuss with exiting employees the reasons they are
leaving.
1:32:36 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MINA referred to the recruitment of high school
students and where the geographical focus may be throughout the
state.
MR. TORNGA indicated that AMHS has [reached out to] Fairbanks
and Anchorage but is focused on coastal populations that ride
the ferry more often.
1:33:22 PM
CHAIR MCCABE asked for a brief oversight of how negotiations
with unions work.
MR. TORNGA explained that there are no issues with unions or
moving people up. There are biweekly meetings with the three
unions, and they are very collaborative, he said.
1:34:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES asked what the pay comparison was to the
private industry for the same position.
MR. TORNGA said that for in-state, AMHS was competitive and
similar to the State of Washington. It is out-of-state where
the wages are not competitive.
1:36:49 PM
MR. TORNGA returned to the presentation and moved to slide 7,
titled "Reliability," featuring systems and processes at AMHS,
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
• New Safety Management System (SMS) completed and ABS
and USCG approved
• Vessel Management System with a Computer Maintenance
Management System (CMMS) Installed
• Starlink Vessels needed connectivity
• Installed servers on each vessel for Vessel
Management software
• Vessel Management System
club AMOS Implementation of one module at a
time
1. Preventative Maintenance Module
installed
2. Compliance Module for all
documentation
3. Project Management Module for dry-
dockings
• Shipyard Pre-Planning Processes
• Written Detailed Shipyard Specifications
• Allows for planning and prefabrication prior to
shipyard
• Goal: shorter overhauls, lower cost, and more
in service days
1:40:51 PM
CHAIR MCCABE asked about preventative maintenance and whether it
interfaced with engines. He gave an example of preventative
maintenance in Healy, Alaska, on the life of an engine.
MR. TORNGA replied that there was potential, and it was called
"predictive maintenance" that focused on something before it
might happen. He noted sensors on vessels to detect things such
as excess vibrations, and monitoring the weather and stresses
the ship may have endured.
1:43:18 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 1:43 p.m. [during which
Chair McCabe passed the gavel to Vice Chair Vance.]
1:43:22 PM
VICE CHAIR VANCE referred to the last slide and Starlink's
ability to give reports in real time. She inquired whether more
pieces of a fuller system were added to have everything
digitized.
MR. TORNGA replied yes, that was the goal.
VICE CHAIR VANCE expressed her excitement toward the project.
MR. TORNGA noted that some vessels showed a lot of fatigue and
are far past their prime.
VICE CHAIR VANCE offered her belief that last session, there was
a request for a plan for maintenance and replacement of vessels.
MR. TORNGA noted it is part of the long-term plan; each issue is
looked at from a standpoint of how it fits into a long-term
plan.
1:47:52 PM
MR. TORNGA advanced through slides 8 through 10, titled
"Reliability AMOS Preventative Maintenance Module," which
featured lists of maintenance in progress, systems, and
processes.
1:50:18 PM
MR. TORNGA moved to slide 11, titled "Systems and Processes,"
which read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
• New vessel scheduling program
• Nine months of designing and beta testing now
• Carus Reservations System
• Focusing on improving the customer's experience
• Implementing use of scanners at the load berth
• This requires connectivity which we now have
with Starlink
Excellent support from DOT IT with the implementation
of all our new systems
New Item
• Federal Maritime Administration (MARAD) Sexual
Assault Sexual Harassment (SASH) Requirement. Part of
EMBARC
• USCG issued AMHS an 835 (non-conformity) for
SASH required controlled lock system
• Requires new locks on all crew and passenger
doors
• New control procedures of keys and the key
system
• Inventorying number of doors, type of doors,
thickness of doors, setback of locks, left-hand
right-hand opening, etc.
• May require card key locks like hotels
1:52:41 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES commented that as a regular ferry user,
the reservation system was not user-friendly.
MR. TORNGA agreed there have been issues with the AMHS
reservation system and said he sought an audit of the system and
what the best industry practice would be.
1:54:26 PM
VICE CHAIR VANCE handed the gavel back to Chair McCabe.
MR. TORNGA continued to expound on the contents featured on
slide 11. He proceeded to slide 12, titled "Lookback of
Traffic," which featured a line graph of passengers, vehicles,
and vessels operating.
1:57:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER asked to what AMHS attributed the long-
term decline.
MR. TORNGA replied that much of that relates to reliability and
when he spoke to passengers and businesses, they said they could
not count on it. He further noted the decline in the numbers of
passengers.
1:59:21 PM
CHAIR MCCABE inquired about the vessels' operating line on slide
12 and whether it was inventory only.
MR. TORNGA confirmed it was vessels operating.
CHAIR MCCABE noted the number of passengers per vehicle and that
in 2014, the vehicle line declined. He questioned whether it
was actually unreliability as claimed previously or whether
people did not like the time it took to travel by ferry.
MR. TORNGA recounted what he had heard from people and it could
be a combination of the two, as well as pressure on the market.
CHAIR MCCABE shared that he created a spreadsheet on the
communities that use the ferries versus communities on the
water. He ultimately questioned where the balance was.
MR. TORNGA offered his understanding that Chair McCabe referred
to the barge lines. He expounded on where the barges traveled
and what they carried and the costs involved.
2:03:36 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES mentioned longevity in communities that
rely on AMHS, and she confirmed that in the last couple of
years, the issue was dependability.
2:04:55 PM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE asked whether the state had looked at an
overall transportation report of finding a balance. She noted
AMHS being extremely important to Kodiak, and she asked for a
big picture of how different means of transportation are being
considered.
MR. TORNGA responded that that is the process of the AMHS long-
range plan. He added that a design the state can afford needed
to be considered, and part of that may be roads.
2:07:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SUMNER asked whether AMHS had ever looked into
zeppelins.
MR. TORNGA answered that he was familiar with the mode of
transportation but had not seen it operating on a standard
business modeling.
CHAIR MCCABE commented on smaller commuter ferries that could be
based in Kodiak which could increase service and free up the
larger vessels. He further noted the issues that could arise
with contracting.
MR. TORNGA replied that one of the limitations on that was open
water and the vessels that act as smaller commuter ferries being
substantial enough to handle challenging weather.
2:11:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES related a story of Cascade Point providing
a commuter ferry that can make a one-day out and back trip;
therefore, the larger vessels are freed up. She offered her
support for this plan.
2:12:04 PM
MR. TORNGA proceeded to slide 13, titled "Fleet Capital
Projects," which featured the following vessels: the Motor
Vessel (M/V) Tazlina, the M/V Kennicott, the M/V Columbia, and
the M/V Matanuska, and what kind of upgrades each needed. He
continued to slide 14, titled "Planned Terminal Projects," which
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
• Cordova Terminal Upgrade 2026
• Tatitlik Terminal Upgrade 2026
• Chenega Terminal Upgrade 2026
• Auke Bay East Berth Upgrade - 2025
• Pelican New Terminal 2026
• Angoon Terminal Upgrade 2026
• Kake Terminal Upgrade 2026
• Saxman New Terminal for Annette Island - TBD
2:14:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES pointed out that the state is not paying
Kodiak for its terminal project; therefore, maintaining it is
going to cease.
MR. TORNGA replied that he was going to meet with officials and
get it resolved.
2:15:15 PM
MR. TORNGA moved to slide 15, titled "New Vessel Plans," which
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:
Tustumena Replacement Vessel
• FTA Construction RFP
• Submitted the Buy America Plan To FTA in January.
Recently held our first review meeting last Friday,
April 5th
• FTA is scheduling a follow up meeting for us with
their legal
• Working FTA required Project Construction Management
Plan
• Working FTA Project Oversight Plan
Mainliner Replacement Vessel
2024 Design RFP
Hybrid No-Low Emissions Ferry
2024 Design RFP
2:18:22 PM
MR. TORNGA continued to slide 16, titled "Tustumena versus TRV
Changes," which showed a chart synopsizing the changes. He
moved to slide 17, titled "Tustumena Replacement Vessel (TRV)
Design and Construction Team," which featured a team involved in
the project. He advanced to slide 18, titled "Siemens Power and
Propulsion Scope," which featured a visual of the components
from a power propulsion standpoint. He concluded on slide 19,
titled "TRV - Future Proofing," that pointed out those
components and the design goal being to have a safe, reliable
vessel. He noted that slide 20 featured his e-mail address and
a link to the whole long-range plan.
2:23:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES pointed out that there is a celebration
for the Tustumena in Kodiak in the summer, and she encouraged
committee members to attend.
2:24:11 PM
CHAIR MCCABE thanked Mr. Tornga for the presentation and taking
AMHS in a positive direction.
2:25:00 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:25
p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Mew Marine Pilots Resume_Redacted.pdf |
HTRA 4/16/2024 1:00:00 PM |
Governor Appointee Mew |
| Andrew Mew Marine Pilots App_Redacted.pdf |
HTRA 4/16/2024 1:00:00 PM |
Governor Appointee Mew |
| AMHS House TRA Presentation 4.16.24.pdf |
HTRA 4/16/2024 1:00:00 PM |
AMHS.4.16.24 |