The Port of Seattle announced that it will cancel its request for a joint investment to construct and operate a new cruise terminal at Terminal 46.
The decision was made as the port needs to better understand the short and long-term cruise industry market impacts from COVID-19 before continuing its project investment in additional cruise facilities.
The terminal development had been proposed with the aim of bolstering the port’s capacity to accommodate the growing cruise demand for Alaska, the Pacific Northwest and West Coast cruises.
Cruise is a major part of the Port of Seattle and an important part of the region’s maritime and regional economies. Thus, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Port of Seattle was forecasting a record year for 2020 with 233 cruise vessels scheduled to sail from Seattle. With an estimated 1.3 million revenue passengers expected to travel to and from our terminals this season, cruise supports 5,500 jobs, and provides nearly $900 million in economic activity for the region.
Port of Seattle Executive Director Steve Metruck commented
Our current focus remains on public health … When we can, we will convert that demand into more business opportunities and jobs for our region.
