Alaska’s Cruise Conundrum

Key upcoming decisions affect future status of Alaska cruising

For the Alaska cruise market, winter’s headaches could carry over for seasons to come. One proposed federal rule change and one new state standard are combining to test the mettle of Alaska’s cruise industry.

The first rule change, while environmentally purposed, appears overly rigid. By 2010, there will be a new strict limit on the composition of wastewater discharged from cruise ships, a standard that was tacked onto the cruise ship ballot initiative passed in 2006. Two years, however, might not be enough time for cruise ships to develop and implement onboard technology capable of dealing with contaminants to the degree that satisfies the new standard. As such, cruise lines are deciding whether to apply now for permits required by Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation to discharge waste. Still two years out, cruise lines applying for permits will have to explain how they plan to comply with the new requirements.

The difficulty is in the ability of cruise ships to dilute their waste discharge, which typically has a mix of copper, zinc, nickel and ammonia, down to an acceptable level. The new standard would, for instance, require that discharge only contain 3.1 parts copper per billion. Ironically, drinking water in Alaska typically has a higher copper concentration than what is being proposed. Pouring a glass of drinking water overboard would ostensibly put a cruise ship out of compliance, says John Binkley, president of the Anchorage-based Alaska Cruise Association, whose job has been to strengthen relationships with businesses and communities since its creation in 2007.

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