MV Matanuska, colloquially known as the Mat, is a mainline Malaspina-class ferry vessel operated by the Alaska Marine Highway System. Construction and characteristics In 1959, as Alaska became a state, one of the top priorities of its coastal residents was improved ferry service. As early as February 1960 bills were introduced in the new state legislature to create a ferry authority. Alaska voters approved a $23 million bond issue in November 1960 to fund a state ferry system. Seattle naval architect Philip F. Spaulding was consulted by Governor William A. Egan as to what types of ships should be built and in May 1961 his firm was hired to design the first ships built for the new state system, Matanuska, and her sister-ships MV Malaspina, and MV Taku. Puget Sound Bridge & Dry Dock Company of Seattle won the contract to build the three ships with a low-bid of $10,445,000. Matanuska's keel was laid on July 6, 1962 in the same graving dock from which Taku was launched just a few days before. She was the last built of the three sister-ships. The ship was launched on December 5, 1962. She was christened by Anne Lewellen, wife of Alaska Marine Transportation Division Director Bafford E. Lewellen. George N. Hayes, Alaska attorney general, was the principal speaker at the ceremony. Matanuska completed her sea trials in May 1963 and was turned over to her new owners. She left Seattle for Alaska on June 7, 1963. The ship is long with a beam of , and a fully-loaded draft of . She displaces 5,569 long tons. Her gross tonnage calculated under international rules is 9,214, while her U.S. register gross tonnage is 3,029. At the time of their launch, the three sister-ships were the largest U.S.-flagged motorized ferries. Matanuska can carry 450 passengers. She has 106 passenger staterooms with berths for 243. These are divided into 79 two-berth, 21 three-berth, 5 four-berth, and 1 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Passengers without a stateroom may use coin-operated lockers to stow their luggage, and public showers. She has a cafeteria, solarium, children's play area, and observation lounge. Her vehicle deck has of lanes which can accommodate 83 standard-sized vehicles. The ship cruises at 16.5 knots, at which speed she burns 234 gallons of fuel per hour. She has two Electro-Motive Diesel 16-710 G7C-T3 engines, each rated at 3,999 hp, which she uses for propulsion. This is the