files from Peter Segall, The Juneau Empire, Black Press
The MV Malaspina vessel will be sailing into Prince Rupert’s waters for a very short period over the next two months.
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) restored a pair of round trips between Prince Rupert and Ketchikan — one in Oct. and one during the last week of Nov.
The City of Prince Rupert will pay for its officers to be present for the two scheduled trips, but beyond that is yet to be determined, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) communications director Meadow Bailey,
The AMHS was scheduled to end service from Ketchikan to Prince Rupert at the end of Sept. over failure to reach an agreement on how to provide armed security for U.S. Customs officials at the checkpoint.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents can’t carry weapons in a foreign country and so Canadian security will be required to be on site while customs officials are working.
Other issues affecting service was budgetary constraints and a dispute over dock repairs.
The problem was the State of Alaska would have to foot the bill to have Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers provide security for U.S. Customs officials, which was not feasible for the state under current fiscal conditions.
The agreement came after negotiations between Prince Rupert city officials, Alaska state legislators and representatives from the AMHS.
That discussion produced a short-term agreement where Prince Rupert would provide armed security but only for the two scheduled trips. Reaching a long-term agreement is complicated by new regulations handed down following the Land, Rail, Marine, and Air Transport Preclearance Agreement (LRMA) signed between the U.S. and Canada in August.
That agreement requires increased security at “preclearance” checkpoints like Prince Rupert.
Preclearance
Preclearance is when CBP provides the same service they would at state-side ports of entry in a foreign nation before U.S.-bound passengers begin their journey.
According to the CBP website, preclearance helps to screen for security threats and eases the number of people going through U.S. checkpoints.
The problem is the new requirements for preclearance facilities will require substantial investment from the State of Alaska.
“Everywhere that (CBP) has a preclearance facility, it’s been the responsibility of the users to build the facility,” MacKinnon said in a phone interview Wednesday. “We do not have the funds. The budget for the ferry system has been cut considerably in the past year.”
Because CBP preclearance checkpoints are secure facilities, details of the requirements have not been widely disclosed to DOT staff. AMHS General Manager Captain John Favley was given the details, MacKinnon said, but was ordered not to share them with other staff.
According to a press release from DOT&PF, the department was given 60 days to commit to “substantial facility modifications at either the AMHS Prince Rupert or Ketchikan terminals.”
But under the current financial situation, DOT&PF is not sure it has the funds to complete those modifications.
“It’s going to take a meeting with the Department of Transportation, the governor’s office, Prince Rupert, possibly the provincial government (of British Columbia),” MacKinnon said. “I want some reasonable expectation that we can commit to this.”
Complications
Even after DOT&PF signed the agreement to upgrade the facilities, it could still pull out if it decides it can’t complete the project. But MacKinnon said he wouldn’t want to sign unless he was sure the project could be completed.
The new LRMA requirements apply only to preclearance facilities, not to state-side “post-clearance” facilities. While Ketchikan has CBP facilities, those are designed for cruise ship passengers, Bailey said, and not equipped to handle the vehicles and cargo transported via ferry.
Meeting CBP requirements for a post-clearance in Ketchikan would require the construction of an entirely new facility, according to MacKinnon, which DOT&PF also does not have the money for.
McKinnon is hopeful that a preclearance facility can be completed, potentially with help from the Canadians.
“We can’t do this unilaterally,” MacKinnon said. “There’s a good argument to be made that (the ferry connection) is an economic benefit for Prince Rupert.”
McKinnon said that Mayor Brain had expressed a desire to see the ferry route preserved but that the details have not been discussed.
“We have not had those conversations yet,” MacKinnon said, adding that he was hoping to travel to Prince Rupert at the end of the month to meet with Canadian officials.
MacKinnon said that he wanted to see what the Canadians were willing to do. He said that he wasn’t willing to say that if there isn’t some sort of buy-in from the Canadian side the upgrades wouldn’t happen, but added that the situation was extremely complicated.
DOT&PF has until Dec. 5 to sign an agreement with CBP committing to the upgrades.
The City of Prince Rupert has not responded to a request for comment.
READ MORE: Immediate deal to reinstate AMHS in Prince Rupert not out of the question: Mayor Brain
The Alaska Marine Highway System will resume temporary service to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, with sailings scheduled for Oct. 29 and Nov. 25, according to the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.
OCTOBER
Ketchikan to Prince Rupert: Monday, Oct 28
Departs at 7:30 p.m. AKDT and arrives in Prince Rupert at 3:30 a.m. PST.
Prince Rupert to Ketchikan: Tuesday, Oct. 29
Departs at 6:30 a.m. PST and arrives in Ketchikan at 12:30 p.m. AKDT.
NOVEMBER
Ketchikan to Prince Rupert: Monday, Nov. 25
Departs at 12 p.m. AKDT and arrives in Prince Rupert at 7:30 p.m. PST.
Prince Rupert to Ketchikan: Tuesday, Nov. 26
Departs at 10:30 p.m. PST and arrives in Ketchikan at 4:00 a.m. AKDT.
READ MORE: Prince Rupert not alone in fight to save ferry to Ketchikan: Alaskan Rep. Ortiz
Jenna Cocullo | Journalist
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