Seward’s deliberate “Port of Tomorrow” moved a step nearer to actuality because of new laws that permits the Alaskan port’s proprietor to situation the bonds that may finance a two-berth dock and cruise terminal.
The state-owned Alaska Railroad Company owns and operates the Port of Seward, a well-liked vacation spot situated on an inlet of the Kenai Peninsula in southern Alaska. In a typical season, greater than 100 cruise ship calls are made to Seward.
Its current dock and terminal date from the Nineteen Sixties and are in want of substitute. The so-called “Port of Tomorrow” was introduced in March 2024 with a price ticket of $137 million.
Since Alaska Railroad Firm was beforehand licensed to situation bonds as much as solely $60 million, the Alaska Home of Representatives was referred to as upon to boost the restrict. It did so on February 17, 2025 with Home Invoice 65, which permits a bond situation as much as $135 million.
As soon as accomplished, the upgraded port could have a 68,000-square-foot terminal constructing and a 750-foot, two-berth floating dock massive sufficient to accommodate Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships.
Mum or dad firm Royal Caribbean Group is a associate within the challenge, and a 30-year lease already is in place between the cruise firm and the port.
The Alaska Railroad Company’s board of administrators permitted the challenge in August 2024. Beneath the settlement, ships from Royal Caribbean Group’s three manufacturers — Royal Caribbean, Superstar Cruises, and Silversea Cruises, could have entry to the berths, and Alaska Railroad Company can assign accessible dock house to different vessels as properly.
“The substitute dock and terminal facility should accommodate Alaska marine freeway system vessels with aspect loading doorways. The utmost principal quantity of bonds that the Alaska Railroad Company could situation underneath this part is $135,000,000,” the textual content of the invoice reads.
The modernized port had beforehand obtained a $45 million federal grant to set up shore energy know-how, and the development of the facility infrastructure is about to be accomplished by mid-2026.
Hooking into shoreside energy permits cruise ships to show off their engines, considerably decreasing emissions, whereas sustaining resort operations.
The grant, issued by the Environmental Safety Company, will finance the growth of {an electrical} transmission cable to the port, in addition to switchgear know-how, and a battery storage system.
Energy to the port is supplied by Seward Electrical Providers, which is owned by town. The complete value of the shore energy set up challenge is estimated at $50.8 million, leaving about $5 million to be paid for by the Seward Firm, a public-private partnership whose members embrace Alaska Railroad Company, Royal Caribbean Group, and Turnagain Marine.
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships are outfitted with shore energy connectivity know-how, as are a number of Superstar Cruises ships.
A number of Cruise Strains Embody Seward on Alaska Itineraries
Ships from the three cruise manufacturers owned by Royal Caribbean Group routinely supply Alaska itineraries that function calls at Seward. The vacation spot is taken into account the gateway to pristine Kenai Fjords Nationwide Park, and is dwelling to the well-known Alaska SeaLife Heart.
Learn Additionally: What to Pack for an Alaska Cruise: Full Checklist
The Alaska cruise season begins in early April and continues by September. In 2025, six Royal Caribbean ships are slated to supply sailings to the Nice Land — Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, and Anthem of the Seas, though not all of them will name at Seward.
Silversea Cruises’ Silver Moon and Silver Nova will name at Seward in 2025, together with Superstar Cruises’ Superstar Summit, and Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas.
Different notable ships that may carry friends to Seward in 2025 embrace Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, Viking’s Viking Orion and Viking Venus, and Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess, amongst others.
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