There was a special meeting of the Skagway assembly last Friday to talk about the alternative mooring plan. The discussion was focused on whether to move forward with the current redesign of the ore dock, what is at stake is the ability to host the larger cruise ships next summer. Voicing his concerns during the public comments was Michael Healy, representing the Skagway Brewing Company.
“I just want to say how important these larger ships are, I spent a little time quantifying, but when we get one of those bigger ships into town, our business increases between 25 and 30 percent.”
Others were concerned whether the design is rated for sufficient wind capacity, and whether the Broadway dock needed new capstans to handle the ships that are expected there.
Borough Manager Brad Ryan doubted that the work could be finished in time for the tourism season
“We have to bring two cranes up here, we have to source piles, and I’m not convinced we can get it all completed. Wintertime working, and then if we go into the spring we are going to get timed out with marine mammals. I think we can plan this and make it happen in the winter 23 /24, I don’t think the alternative mooring plan works this year. There is way too many unknowns and hurdles to make it happen.”
At the end of the meeting the assembly moved to go ahead and purchase pilings worth $3.4 million. The pilings will be used regardless of timeframe.
Assembly member Deb Potter addressed one more concern in a phone conversation. Any work on the ore dock that would continue past the start of the tourism season is not to prevent smaller cruise ships from docking there. She says Skagway can survive if the large cruise ships don’t dock there until 2024, but being unable to use the dock at all next summer would be disastrous for the local economy.
Dockings in Skagway are further compromised by the ongoing rock slides above the railroad dock. A rock scaling crew is expected to fix the issue. They were waiting for the go ahead from the municipality of Skagway. The municipality itself was waiting for White Pass and Yukon Route, who owns the dock, to release it from claims or indemnification should the dock be damaged during the work.
That release came mid day Tuesday, and the crews are now cleared to start working.
In related news, the Alaska Marine Highway System announced today in a press release that Skagway will have the state as a partner in its pursuit to develop new marine facilities for both the ferry system and commercial and private marine businesses. The agreement includes preliminary design, engineering, and a feasibility analysis. The new facilities, to be located on the ore peninsula, will replace their current aging dock that is threatened by ongoing erosion.
