The Alaska Railroad (ARRC) is pursuing a public/private partnership to develop a rail/marine terminal in Seward.
Last month, ARRC began advertising a Request for Qualification (RFQ), asking interested parties to put forward their concepts for replacing an ageing passenger dock and cruise terminal facilities in Seward.
ARRC said that it planned to identify potential partner(s) by the end of this year, 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, which 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 company said.
It 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, it said.
