Wrangell Sentinel -

Nearly a decade after construction started and a month after it was put into service, the 280-foot-long Hubbard was officially christened as the newest ferry in the Alaska Marine Highway System’s fleet on June 26 in Juneau.

The Hubbard — first envisioned in 2006 as part of a project to shuttle passengers between Juneau, Haines and Skagway — has experienced plenty of rough waters before a couple dozen attendees boarded it for its christening during a stormy day at Juneau’s Auke Bay ferry terminal.

Initial construction was completed in 2018, but it remained out of service for more than four year...