The Holland America cruise ship Westerdam prepares to dock in Juneau on July 16, 2012. (Heather Bryant / KTOO)

Alaskan lawmakers are considering sending a message to the federal government asking them to allow ships to bypass Canada on Alaskan cruises this year.

Earlier this year, Canadian officials extended the ban on large cruise lines in the country’s waters. This put the 2021 Alaska cruise season in doubt, as US law prohibits foreign-flagged cruise ships that normally operate on the Inside Passage from operating domestic routes.

The Alaskan visitor industry, particularly cruise tourism, is the cornerstone of Southeast Alaska’s economy. Before the pandemic, Alaska had over 2.2 million visitors in 2019. Cruise ships bring about half of the visitors to our state.

Ketchikan MP Dan Ortiz told the State House Transportation Committee on Saturday that after a devastating 2020 with no cruise visitors, another season without the big ships could cause permanent damage to the state’s economy.

While many companies have been able to hibernate for 2020, the risk of no or limited business being done in 2021 could wreak irreparable damage.

As a result, Ortiz and other lawmakers are pushing for a resolution calling on Congress and the Biden government to allow large cruise lines to bypass a Canadian stop. The move would add the legislation to a growing chorus of votes calling for federal action but not bearing the power of the law.

Alaska’s congressional delegation has tabled a bill to allow ships to skip calls in Canada. But that bill hasn’t gone anywhere.

Federal maritime law isn’t the only thing standing in the way of a 2021 Alaska cruise season, however.

Even if Congress or the Biden administration were to forego the 19th century law requiring foreign bans, federal Disease Control Centers would have to deregister before cruise ships could sail out of US waters again.

Juneau Democratic Senator Jesse Kiehl spoke out in favor of the Senate resolution and told the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday that the move would not put pressure on the CDC to allow cruises to resume.

Kiehl said in the resolution: “All that is asked is that this is a decision that the Americans can make, that the CDC can decide on security, but that it is not a decision, not even for a short time,” which we are forced to take Canada’s actions in relation to its ports and waters. “

Big Lake Republican Kevin McCabe said Saturday he “broadly” supported the move but was concerned about setting a bad precedent by foregoing laws that protect the domestic shipping industry.

“I’m very nervous that we are kind of leaving the camel’s nose under our tents by allowing foreign ships to operate point by point in the US,” said McCabe.

Provincial officials in British Columbia have raised similar concerns. Canadian media reports that some are concerned that cruise lines circumnavigating Canada this summer may not return next year. However, the authority to open or close Canada’s ports to cruise lines rests with the Canadian federal government, not BC.

Alaskan lawmakers from both parties stressed that the request for temporary relief was not a permanent change.

Shannon Adamson of the International Organization of Masters, Comrades and Pilots stopped to oppose the resolution directly. However, she pointed out that the state has ships of its own that meet both CDC and federal maritime transport requirements: Alaska Marine Highway System ferries.

“We should use AMHS ships currently moored in Ketchikan to boost tourism in Southeast Alaska and help our communities through a difficult time,” she said.

Adamson suggested the state could take advantage of the Columbia, which is currently due to be overhauled this summer.

In an email to KRBD, state transportation spokesman Sam Dapcevich threw cold water on the idea. He says the Marine Highway System doesn’t have enough crew to run the Columbia this summer. In addition, according to the current reservations, the state does not see a need to include Columbia in the summer plan.