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Port of Seattle Announces Shortlist for New Cruise Terminal Lease

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Courtesy Port of Seattle

Published May 9, 2019 3:06 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Port of Seattle has announced its shortlist of bidders for the build and operate concession for its next cruise terminal, which will be sited just south of the city's downtown core. 

The finalists are some of the biggest names in the industry, and they include: 

- Cruise Industry Leaders Group, a partnership between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., MSC Cruises, Carnival Corp. and SSA Marine

- Global Ports Holding, in partnership with Civil & Building North America, Inc.

- Ports America and Jacobs Engineering Group

The shortlist is made up of the heaviest hitters: Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and MSC Cruises are the first-, second- and fourth-largest cruise line operators in the world (when including all of their operated brands). Global Ports Holding is the world's largest independent cruise terminal operator, and recently won the contract to redevelop and manage Antigua's main cruise complex. And Ports America, the largest terminal operator and stevedoring firm in North America, has recently won two significant cruise terminal concessions for facilities in New York City and Los Angeles.

Room for growth

Seattle has grown to become the busiest cruise port on the U.S. West Coast, with more than one million passengers per year. It expects growth to continue, and to make room, the port is selecting a private partner to redevelop Terminal 46.

T-46 is currently a container facility operated by Total Terminals International (TTI). The current lease with TTI will terminate soon, and its containerized cargo will be shifted to Seattle's Terminal 18, giving enough room for a cruise berth on a 30-acre portion of T-46. The northern portion of the berth will be available for cruise uses, including a 5,000-plus passenger terminal. The south end will be used for breakbulk cargo. 

The Port of Seattle expects to complete the tendering process for the cruise terminal concession by the fall, and it wants to have the new facility up and running for the 2022 cruise season.