Drilling application filed with the state to explore new cruise port on Douglas Island

A construction company has applied for a permit with the State of Alaska to study an area off the coast of Douglas Island for the design of a new cruise ship facility. 

The project is in cooperation with Goldbelt Incorporated, a local Alaska Native corporation, which owns the land on and adjacent to where the study would occur. The data gathered would inform the design of two separate cruise ship docks, and facilities for a small boat harbor and boat launch. 

A public notice of the proposed study was posted on the state’s website on Thursday. 

Last fall, Goldbelt announced a partnership with Royal Caribbean Group to develop a new cruise ship facility on the backside of Douglas Island. But since then, little information about the project has been shared with the public or city officials. 

On Thursday afternoon — the same day the notice was posted — a representative for the cruise line was part of a public meeting with the Juneau Assembly alongside other cruise lines to discuss a variety of industry-related topics. 

During the meeting, the representative dodged questions from the Juneau Assembly about the status of the project.

Goldbelt owns nearly 2,000 acres of land along the northwest coastline of Douglas between False Outer Point and Point Hilda. Satellite imagery over the past month shows portions of the land have been cleared of trees. Officials with the company have not shared whether the activity is related to the dock project and did not respond to a request for comment Friday. 

According to the application with the state, Goldbelt plans to partner with Turnagain Marine Construction, a construction and engineering firm based in Anchorage. The study would involve mooring a barge in Stephens Passage and drilling approximately 28 geotechnical boreholes to study the marine environment of the area. 

The application states the project would “provide safe harbor for two cruise ships and passengers during the visitor season, while helping to decrease cruise ship visitor traffic in downtown Juneau.”

The study would last five months, between June and October. The actual start date would depend on a few factors like contractor availability, permit authorizations and environmental factors.

The application is currently open for public comment. The deadline to submit comments is May 7.