The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) is taking the next step in pursuing a public-private partnership to develop the rail-marine terminal in Seward into the Southcentral tourism industry’s lynchpin infrastructure.
The ARRC has released a request for qualification (RFQ), asking interested parties to describe their capabilities and concepts for replacing an aging passenger dock and cruise terminal facilities in Seward. ARRC plans to identify potential partner(s) by the end of 2019, and to negotiate project details in 2020.
The Seward Cruise Terminal Replacement project stems from an extensive Seward Marine Terminal Expansion Planning project (also known as Railport Seward) in 2016-2017. The effort resulted in a master plan for developing the railroad’s Seward Reserve, including docks, terminal facilities and uplands. ARRC’s passenger dock is nearing the end of its useful life and must be replaced.
The railroad is seeking a private-sector operator or consortium partner to design and construct a replacement dock, and to develop terminal facilities to accommodate anticipated cruise traffic for decades to come. The railroad is also open to developing terminal uplands for expanded operations and to foster economic opportunities.
More information is available on the project website.
