Item Number:      10c Order 
Meeting Date:   January 12, 2021 

1                                                    ORDER 2021-02: 
2                                 AN ORDER OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 
3 
4                           To require the Executive Director to continue the indefinite
5                           postponement of the expenditure of funds for the design or
6                           construction of a cruise terminal on Terminal 46 until a
7                           reassessment of the industry is delivered to Commission,
8                           and other requirements before construction is authorized. 
9 
10                                                  PROPOSED 
11                                              JANUARY 12, 2021 
12 
13                                                INTRODUCTION 
14 
15    Cruise operations at the Port of Seattle provide significant benefits to the local economy,
16    reaching industries far beyond the waterfront. Ships homeported in Seattle are provisioned by
17    local providers and strengthen our network of maritime and industrial businesses. With the onset
18    of the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise operations around the world came to a halt. Though there is
19    recent optimism with the lifting of the Center for Disease Control ban on cruises in U.S. waters,
20    the future is not certain. 
21 
22    The implementation of stringent new safety measures and the upcoming delivery of multiple
23    COVID-19 vaccines provide a path forward. However, it is unclear when the industry will recover
24    and how customers will react to the resumption of cruise, and there is no certainty of a recovery
25    or return to a "normal" cruise season in 2021. It is expected the existing Port of Seattle cruise
26    terminals are sufficient to handle the anticipated recovery of cruise on our waterfront for the
27    near future. 
28 
29    The Port is committed to maintaining Terminal 46 to support maritime use. The Port of Seattle
30    Commission supports the Executive Director's initial postponement in mid-2020 of investment
31    on the new cruise terminal proposed on the 29 acres of Terminal 46 that are managed by the
32    Port of Seattle under an Interlocal Agreement with the Northwest Seaport Alliance. This Order
33    directs the Executive Director to continue the indefinite postponement of all design and capital
34    spending on a proposed new cruise terminal, unless otherwise directed by the Commission, and
35    to work with the Northwest Seaport Alliance to explore with maximum flexibility maritime uses
36    for Terminal 46. 
37 
38                                              TEXT OF THE ORDER 
39 
40    The Commission hereby directs the Executive Director to continue the indefinite postponement 
41    of design and capital investment on a proposed new cruise terminal on the 29 acres of Terminal
42    46 that are managed by the Port of Seattle under an Interlocal Agreement with the Northwest
43    Seaport Alliance. The Executive Director shall also demonstrate clear coordination with the
44    Northwest Seaport Alliance to provide maximum flexibility on future uses for Terminal 46. 

Order 2021-02  Indefinite Postponement of Cruise at Terminal 46                                     Page 1 of 2

45 
46    Prior to Commission authorization of design of a new cruise terminal, staff shall provide the
47    Commission with an updated assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cruise
48    industry  and  a  reevaluation  of  the  proposed  project.  Additionally,  prior  to  Commission
49    authorization of construction of a new cruise terminal, staff shall provide to Commission an
50    assessment that includes, at a minimum, project cost estimates, return on investment and 
51    projected market demand. 

















Order 2021-02  Indefinite Postponement of Cruise at Terminal 46                                     Page 2 of 2