For the cruise industry, scrubbers are a way to save money by allowing ships to burn cheaper, dirtier fuels. But the toxic chemicals removed from smokestack exhaust don’t just disappear.
Tourism
In some Southeast Alaska communities, COVID cases are rising as cruise season starts
Some of the highest case rates and sharpest increases were in communities — like Skagway, Petersburg, and Sitka — that will see a lot of visits from cruise ships.
Norwegian Bliss docks in Juneau half full on first day of cruise season
After two summers of little to no business, Juneau’s tourist shops, tour operators and other local businesses are eager for visitors.
Slow start to cruise season is even slower for Juneau Filipino businesses
Last year, COVID-19 restrictions meant that cruise ship workers more often than not couldn’t get off the ships in port at all, so businesses in Juneau that cater to crewmembers, did practically zero business.
Ocean Ranger repeal moves out of Senate committee
Written public testimony has been overwhelmingly in support of keeping or even expanding independent oversight by the marine engineers.
Bridge plan moves forward as Denali Park Road landslide speeds up
A slumping section of the Denali National Park road dropped an unprecedented amount over the winter, leaving a 40-foot drop in the road near Polychrome Pass.
Cruise lines expect early-season ships to be 30-50% full, Ketchikan officials say
Officials in Ketchikan are expecting a soft start to the cruise season despite industry projections that passenger numbers could be nearly as high as pre-pandemic seasons.
Juneau’s first large cruise ship arrives with uncertainty
The first large cruise ship of the 2022 season arrives in Juneau on Monday afternoon.
New COVID surge hits Skagway the week before this year’s first cruise ship visit
The town is experiencing one of its largest outbreaks of the pandemic, with upwards of 30 residents testing positive since the first week of April.
Cruise ships visiting Alaska this summer will require most passengers to be vaccinated
Federal COVID-19 protocols that were mandatory for last year’s cruise season are optional now, but cruise lines visiting Alaska are still expected to follow them this year.