Temporary Delay in Proposed New Cruise Terminal Project
April 28, 2020 - The Port of Seattle has temporarily delayed the proposed new Cruise Terminal Project at the preferred location of Terminal 46 while staff evaluates the COVID-19 Alaska cruise industry impacts. Staff will return to the Port Commission in the fourth quarter of 2020 with a report on the status of the industry and recommendations on next steps with the proposed new Cruise Terminal Project. Supporting documents on this temporary delay are available for review under the Library tab.
Welcome
Welcome to the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development at Terminal 46 online engagement site. We’re glad you’re part of the conversation. The Port is committed to listening to our stakeholders and working with them to solicit input regarding the Proposed Action and reasonable alternatives, and to identify concerns regarding the potential environmental effects of the Proposed Action.
You’ll find all the information you need to provide comments at the major milestones of the environmental review. Keep scrolling down to learn about the project, what we’ll be doing during the environmental review process, and opportunities for public comment.

Proposed Cruise Terminal at Terminal 46
What are the Project objectives?
- The proposed new cruise terminal would add the capacity needed to accommodate the growing demand for Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and West Coast cruises, which can no longer be met by the three berths at the Port’s two existing terminals (Terminal 91 and Pier 66).
- The Port adopted the Cruise Business Development Principles, which guide its cruise business and its engagement with Partners and stakeholders in the operation of existing and potential new cruise facilities, including the proposed facility at Terminal 46. The main principles are as follows:
- Maximize the use of the Port’s deep-water facilities and industrial lands to serve maritime industrial uses.
- Expand economic, cultural, and community benefits within cruise operations and development.
- Support financial sustainability of the Port of Seattle.
- Incorporate leading edge environmental stewardship and sustainability practices and facilities that can exceed existing regulations.
- Facilitate improved transportation mobility of people and goods in the region.
- Provide consistent excellence in customer service to strengthen Seattle’s role as the West Coast’s premier cruise port.
- Seattle is a leader on the West Coast and serves as the hub for Alaska cruises with 45% of the cruise market and seven cruise brands serving Seattle. The Seattle cruise industry generates $893.6 million in annual business revenue and provides more than 5,500 local jobs every season, plus $14.5 million in state and local taxes. Each cruise ship contributes $4.2 million to the local economy.
- The Pier 66 Cruise Terminal was the Port of Seattle’s first cruise terminal, which is a one-berth facility that began operations in 1999. The Smith Cove Cruise Facility at Terminal 91, which opened in April 2009, can accommodate two vessels simultaneously. In 2019, the Port of Seattle hosted 211 cruise ships and over 1.2 million passengers.
- Additional information can be found on the Port of Seattle Cruise website: https://www.portseattle.org/maritime/cruise

Description of Proposal
The Port of Seattle is proposing to develop a new cruise terminal. Analysis of the cruise market and cruise ship deployment supports the need for a fourth berth to meet the demand for Port of Seattle cruise services, which can no longer be met by the three berths at the Port’s two existing terminals (Terminal 91 and Pier 66). Terminal 46 (401 Alaskan Way S, Seattle, WA) is the preferred project location and the new cruise terminal would be part of a flexible marine transportation facility, which will continue to support cargo and other marine operations.
A cruise terminal at Terminal 46 would occupy the northern 29 acres of the overall 86.5-acre terminal facility. The remainder of the site would be maintained as a marine cargo facility and administrative use.
Environmental Review
The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) is a state law. It requires agencies to evaluate the likely environmental consequences of proposed development actions. SEPA provides direction for the environmental review process, including preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for certain projects.
The Port of Seattle, as lead agency, acknowledges that there is public interest and concern about the potential environmental impacts of implementing the Proposed Action. Based on that level of concern and the potential for impacts that may occur with the implementation of the Proposed Action, the Port of Seattle has determined that a SEPA EIS will be prepared to study impacts regardless of whether such impacts may be significant.
- An environmental impact statement (EIS) provides an objective analysis of the likely environmental impacts, feasible alternatives, and measures that would avoid or minimize adverse environmental impacts.
- An “impact” is a change in consequence that results from an activity. Impacts can be positive, negative or both. An EIS describes negative impacts and may identify ways to mitigate them.
- There are three major milestones in an EIS – Scoping, Draft EIS, and Final EIS.
- Scoping is the first step in the EIS process. During scoping, we invited agencies, tribes, and the general public to comment on the likely range of project alternatives and areas of impact that should be evaluated. These comments will be used to narrow the focus of the EIS to the likely significant environmental issues, eliminate insignificant impacts from study, and identify alternatives for analysis in the EIS.
- The scoping process began when we issued the Determination of Significance (DS)/Request for Comments on Scoping for the Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development. The Determination of Significance was issued on October 23, 2019. The scoping period closed on November 27, 2019.
- Typically, after scoping, an agency prepares a Draft EIS, which provides agencies and the public with information on environmental impacts and possible mitigation measures. Agencies ask the public for comments on the Draft EIS. The Final EIS then responds to all comments received on the Draft EIS and may include revisions to the Draft EIS based on comments received and new information learned.
- Due to the temporary delay in the project (as of April 28, 2020), the anticipated release date of the Draft EIS and next opportunity for public comment through the environmental review process cannot be determined at this time. Staff will brief the Port Commission in the fourth quarter of 2020 on the status of the industry and recommendation on next steps with the proposed new Cruise Terminal Project and will update this website once more information is available.
What Alternatives Will be Considered?
The Port of Seattle is proposing to develop a new cruise terminal at Terminal 46 as part of a flexible marine transportation facility that will continue to support cargo and other marine operations. The Port will determine alternatives based on an assessment of options that could feasibly achieve the project’s objective. For the Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development, we will analyze no-action and action alternatives. Any action alternatives will include the same work elements.
- Cruise building
- Cruise-related parking
- On-site transportation circulation
- Connection to the local transportation system
- Utilities
- Access to the deep-water berth
- Shorepower
- Street improvements and landscaping
- Pedestrian access and connection to the waterfront and downtown Seattle
What Will be Analyzed?
The Port has preliminarily identified nine environmental elements for analysis in the EIS. For each environmental element, we will evaluate the probable impacts associated with the proposed action and operations.
The environmental elements we plan to study with examples of the types of analyses are provided below:
- Description of existing roadway network in the site vicinity.
- Description of the existing vehicular traffic volumes (AM and PM peak hour), and intersection and operational conditions.
- Description of planned transportation and transit projects in the site vicinity.
- Description of existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities in the site vicinity.
- Analysis of trip generation and distribution from assumed site development, and AM and PM peak hour traffic impacts to key intersections in the study area.
- Analysis of non-motorized and pedestrian opportunities with proposed development and impacts on existing facilities.
- Identification of existing air quality conditions and primary sources of existing emissions on site and in the site vicinity, including vehicle traffic and vessels.
- Description of anticipated dust and emissions during excavation, grading, and construction.
- Description of emission sources during operation, including those from added project-generated traffic and vessels.
- Description of the relationship between emissions associated with on-going uses on the site and proposed new operations at the site.
- Description of likely greenhouse gas emissions.
- Description of existing noise levels on the site and site vicinity.
- Identification of existing noise-sensitive receivers.
- Analysis of anticipated noise conditions during construction.
- Analysis of predicted noise conditions with the proposal, including noise associated with traffic, vessels, construction, and operations.
- Description of the relationship between noise associated with on-going industrial uses on the site and the proposal.
- Analysis of in-water project construction and its potential impacts to sensitive species, habitat, plants, and animals.
- Description of vessel traffic and noise and its potential impacts to sensitive species.
- Earth
- Water resources
- Aesthetics/light and glare
- Historic/cultural resources
- Environmental justice
Library
Use this section to find planning documents, fact sheets, and media reports about the Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development. For additional information, visit the Port of Seattle New Cruise Terminal page.
- Press release on Temporary Delay of Proposed New Cruise Terminal Project (April 2020)
- Recommended Actions for Temporary Delay of Proposed New Cruise Terminal Project (April 2020)
- Motion 2020-09 to Authorize Short-Term Changes to the 2020-2024 Capital Improvement Plan (April 2020)
- Scoping Summary Report (February 2020)
- Notice of Scoping Period Extension (November 2019)
- Public Meeting Presentation (October 2019)
- Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal scoping meeting display boards – 9 MB (October 2019)
- Scoping Information Packet - English (October 2019)
- Scoping Information Packet - Vietnamese (October 2019)
- Scoping Information Packet - Spanish (October 2019)
- Scoping Information Packet - Chinese (October 2019)
- Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development Postcard (October 2019)
- SEPA Notice of Determination of Significance (DS) (October 2019)
- Cruise Business Development Principles (March 2019)

Participate
The Port of Seattle is proposing to develop a new cruise terminal at Terminal 46 as part of a flexible marine transportation facility, which will continue to support cargo and other marine operations. An EIS is being prepared, which will evaluate potential impacts to Earth, Water Resources, Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Analysis, Noise, Biological Resources, Aesthetics/Light and Glare, Historic/Cultural Resources, Transportation, and Environmental Justice.
Due to the temporary delay in the project (issued on April 28, 2020), the anticipated release date of the Draft EIS and next opportunity for public comment through the environmental review process cannot be determined at this time. Staff will brief the Port Commission in the fourth quarter of 2020 on the status of the industry and recommendation on next steps with the proposed new Cruise Terminal Project and will update this website once more information is available. The Port sought public comments as part of scoping, which ended on November 27, 2019. A summary of comments was posted on this site on February 6, 2020.
Additional details on the project can be found at portseattle.org/projects/new-cruise-terminal.

Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you for visiting the online engagement site for the Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development.
The Port of Seattle will review all comments submitted for the Terminal 46 Cruise Terminal Development and use them to prepare the Draft EIS. Due to the temporary delay in the project (issued on April 28, 2020), the anticipated release date of the Draft EIS cannot be determined at this time. Updates on the project status and schedule will be posted on this site and the Port project website once more information is available.