It’s been a busy winter for big vessels in Resurrection Bay! The M/V Tustumena ferry at dry dock at SMIC is so big at 296 feet, that it won’t fit inside the shipyard structure.

The huge supply vessel, Aiviq docked in front of the M/V Aurora, another state ferry. The Aiviq not only towered over the ferry with its massive superstructure, but it is 358 feet long and 79 feet wide. The Aurora is a mere 235 feet long.

The Noble Discoverer drilling rig dwarfs both state ferries and the Aiviq at 512 feet long by 85 feet wide.

At the end of February, the Xiang Yun Kou, a heavy-lift transport vessel registered in China arrived to scoop up the drill rig. It is a whopping 709 feet long and 141 feet wide.

By comparison, in the summer, a succession of cruise ships fill the bay. The Statendam, registered in the Netherlands, is even bigger than the transporter at 722 feet long and 105 feet wide.

Then, a few days ago, the biggest ship of them all arrived, the M/V Meister, a coal ship registered in Panama. It is 738 feet long, and 105 feet wide.

Quite a line-up this week with the Aurora, Tustumena, Aiviq, Noble Discoverer, Xiang Yun Kou, and Meister all in the bay at once. But majestic Mt Alice makes them all look small.

Submitted by Carol Griswold

Information on vessels  from http://www.fleetmon.com/en/vessels