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| Chignik Harbor 9 15 2015 |
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| A tranquil moment after the 2015 salmon season |
The Historic Vessel ALEUTIAN EXPRESS
| ALEUTIAN EXPRESS at King Cove, Alaska 7 10 2016 |
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| Waiting to offload at Peter Pan Seafoods dock |
| ALEUTIAN EXPRESS underway off Port Townsend 11-22 |
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| After 7 months of extensive shipyard work (photo by Pete Parrish) |
| Chignik Bay Alaska |
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| at the dock 9 8 2012 |
Chignik Alaska June 2009
| ALEUTIAN EXPRESS at John Wayne Marina 12-2022 |
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| Sequim Bay Washington (photo by Harbormaster Shale Shore) |
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| The Express and Cornelia Marie at Kodiak Alaska 8-5-09 |
| conserving fuel and reducing CO2 emmissions |
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| Motorsailing from Kodiak to Port Orchard, Washington 10-5-08 |
www.youtube.com/channel/UCYydCFsmttmO7_pKKcqANlw/videos
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Aleutian Express Inc is
committed to minimizing the carbon footprint while operating in ecologically sensitive areas. The historic iron/steel vessel ALEUTIAN EXPRESS
began service in 1913 as the Portland Oregon fireboat "DAVID CAMPBELL" which was oil fired and steam
driven. Replaced in 1927 by 3 more modern gasoline powered fireboats (one of which was also named David Campbell, and
is still in service today), was renamed "THE CHIEF "and Purchased by the Foss Launch & Tug Company.
In 1928 the vessel was sold to Kanaga Ranching Company and redesigned by naval architect H.C. Hanson in which conversion took
place at Lake Union Seattle to a two masted auxillary sail/diesel power cargo schooner renamed "ALEUTIAN
NATIVE". In 1932 the vessel was purchased by Petroleum Navigation Company and converted to an oil tanker in
1935 for service to Alaska, changing the name to "EXPRESS" in 1939. It was reportedly active in
the Battle of the Aleutians as an oil tanker durring WWII and took part in the evacuation of some of the islands. She was
converted to an ocean going towboat and became a combination towboat/ tanker/ Bering Sea king crabber in 1953 (one of the
first and is the oldest actively operating US flagged former big Bering Sea crabber begining with Wakefield trawlers Inc.
operating out of Akutan, Alaska using drag gear) which was documented in a Pacific Workboat magazine article in October
1954 and a Seattle Times article from January 1970 (3 page Sunday special edition). Purchased in 1956 by the Upper Columbia
River Towing Company, the vessel began towing rafts of logs from Oregon to Southern California durring the post war housing
boom among other activities until it was again sold in 1962 to m/v Express Inc and returned to Bering Sea crabbing (this time
using pot gear) from 1963 to 1969 operated by Michael Lynch, and Miles Rice . In 1973 the Express was converted to a
salmon processor and later a tender/towboat by Tom and Mike Kent. As the vessel plates are Iron alloy on steel frames (Illinois
Carnegie), and having been commercially well maintained over the years, the ALEUTIAN EXPRESS is a remarkably
solid and seaworthy vessel with a proven track record of safety. Today under the ownership and command of Captain John
Clutter, the ALEUTIAN EXPRESS is enjoying a complete renovation and refitting to a similar rigging as she looked
in 1929 as the ALEUTIAN NATIVE with a more modern interior and deck setting,while borrowing from the concepts of previous
owners. With usable roller furling sails, 12 volt LED Lighting and a smaller more fuel efficient house generator while anchored
and not working at full load, the ALEUTIAN EXPRESS can reduce nearly half of it's previous carbon footprint,
and sail silently without power if necessary. This is a great benefit in acoustical studies such as whale research, or in
seabird rookery areas to minimize pollution in ecollogically sensitive areas. With the newer design and most of the remodel
complete after a drydock at Port Townsend, Washington in May 2016 the new and old names were combined reflecting
the vessels rich history while giving it the distinction of a newly redesigned vessel with new purpose for future work in
the 21st Century as the ALEUTIAN EXPRESS.
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We are proud supporters of the following organizations: Alaska Marine Conservation Counsel,
Kodiak Maritime museum, Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, San Fransisco Maritime Museum, San Diego Maritime Museum,
Oregon Maritime Museum, Honolulu Maritime Museum, Ocean Institute of Dana Point, Scripps Birch Aquarium, Audibon
Society, Birdlife International, Nature Conservency, National Geographic Society, American Red Cross, Amvets, USO, Shriners,
St. Judes Childrens' Research Hospitals, Make a Wish Foundation
| The Roosevelt was Captained by Robert Bartlett |
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| It is a commitment of Aleutian Express Inc to conserve, preserve, and serve with respect. |
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The ALEUTIAN EXPRESS operated as a fish tender in Bristol Bay salmon season
for Copper River Seafoods after undergoing nearly 9 months of extensive shipyard repairs at port Townsend Washington in 2022
and 2023. A round-trip from Washington to Chignik Alaska in 2021 and earlier operated in Southeast Alaska out of Sitka for Seafood Producers Cooperative (SPC) for the 2019 Salmon season as a salmon
tender vessel (receiving from catcher vessels held in chilled seawater (or ice totes) and transporting to the processing plant).
Four months of extensive major shipyard repairs at Port Townsend Washington were completed in late June 2018 which extended
into the salmon season of the failed chignik district salmon run of 2018 where the vessel was contracted to operate resulting
in a cancellation of operations. The 2017 salmon season was with Silver Bay Seafoods at Bristol Bay and Prince William Sound
and Peter Pan Seafoods for the 2015 and 2016 Alaska salmon fisheries operating at Bristol Bay, the Bering Sea and along
the soutwestern Alaska Peninsula as we were for the 2014 and 2013 Bristol Bay, Cook Inlet and Kodiak salmon
fisheries for Icicle Seafoods. In 2011 and 2012 were under contract with Trident Seafoods along the Alaska Peninsula
for tendering salmon in the Chignik seine fishery in addition to towing of a stranded vessel from Chignik to Homer
and hauling cargo from Kodiak to Chignik Lagoon that year before crossing the Gulf of Alaska directly to Cape Flattery and
on to Port Orchard, Washington for winter repairs. On completion of a newly remodeled interior and other renovations
including machinery overhaul and upgrades, the ALEUTIAN EXPRESS will be available for long-range scientific research
charters on a 12 person maximum basis after the Alaska salmon and cod fishery activities. Rates are dependant on
service, scope, time of year and area of operation. The future research focus for the vessel will be to explore the depths
of the ALEUTIAN TRENCH, seamounts and hydrothermal vents from the Aleutians to the Line Island group. The PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA
Marine National Monument waters activity durring winter months are future planned winter operation areas which include the
Northwest Hawaiian Islands, Palmyra and Kiribati (Christmas Island).
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| Dillingham Alaska 7 11 2015 (New shelter & crane) |
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| Offloading Bristol Bay Sockeye Salmon at Peter Pan Seafoods dock |
| Motorsailing out of Bristol Bay 7-20-2017 |
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| Leaving Egegik for Prince William Sound |
| At the Seattle Museum of History and Industry |
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| AMAZON Campus construction cranes 12-2017 |
This website is still evolving!
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