The two ferries will cost $120m and are scheduled to join the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) in 2018.
They will carry up to 300 passengers and 53 vehicles.
"These vessels will be the largest ships ever built in Alaska," Parnell said in a statement. "Building these ferries in state will be a major boost for Alaska's economy."
AMHS has seen a decline in passenger numbers despite an increase in the number of ferries in recent years.
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