Army Corps Seeks Comment on Petersburg Cruise Berth
The plans place a one hundred sixty-foot moorage float in Wrangell Narrows at Dock Street, with a shore gangway beside the United States Coast Guard dock.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comment on American Cruise Lines’ proposal to build a cruise ship berth near downtown Petersburg, Alaska. The comment period runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 1 and is one of the final steps before the agency decides whether to issue a permit.
American Cruise Lines is increasing its summer visits to Petersburg and pursuing moorage sites in other communities across the region. Its approximately 28 small ships generally carry between 90 and 180 guests, while each Petersburg call brings fewer than 200 passengers.
Public review and dock design
The Corps’ notice describes the project as “deep-water berthing infrastructure” in Wrangell Narrows. American Cruise Lines plans to install a 160-foot-long, 24-foot-wide moorage float at the end of Dock Street, next to the U.S. Coast Guard dock.
A 100-foot-long, 10-foot-wide gangway would connect the float to shore. The plans also include dolphin floats and frames for steel piles, allowing the line’s passenger vessels to tie up near the town center during the cruise season.
The Petersburg Borough Assembly unanimously approved a lease agreement with American Cruise Lines in April. Under the agreement, the borough will lease part of its tidelands to the company, which will construct the berth and use it for cruise operations.
The Alaska District reviews work affecting navigable waters under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act. Its authority can also extend to dredged or fill material discharged into waters of the United States under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
The Corps will use the comments to assess the project’s public interest, evaluate its effects and determine whether a public hearing is needed. Submissions may be sent to regpagemaster@usace.army.mil or filed through the Corps’ online Regulatory Request System, with permit application POA-2026-00356 cited in the response.
A new berth within a working harbor
Petersburg has several existing docking options, including South Harbor, the Petro Marine dock and the municipal Drive Down Float. Its harbor system has 650 berths and supports fishing vessels, local boats, fueling, repairs and other year-round marine activity. Ten cruise vessels were scheduled to make 96 stops in the summer of 2025, while Petersburg’s published 2026 tourship calendar lists 85 cruise calls.
Construction cannot begin without the Corps permit. If authorized, in-water work is scheduled to start in March and take approximately four weeks.
