Norwegian Jade Moves Away as Fire Engulfs Alaska Cruise Terminal

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Passengers aboard Norwegian Jade had a dramatic end to their Alaska cruise on Monday, after a major fire broke out at the cruise terminal in Whittier while the ship was alongside.

Flames and thick smoke engulfed sections of the newly built Chugach Glacier Gateway terminal on 14 September, with a sightseeing vessel moored beside the dock also caught in the blaze.

Norwegian Jade was safely moved away from the terminal and was not damaged, while authorities have reported no injuries from the incident.

The fire occurred at Whittier's newer cruise terminal while Norwegian Jade was in port completing an Alaska sailing.

Images and video recorded during the incident show substantial flames along the waterfront and large amounts of smoke rising from the terminal area.

The Klondike Express, a sightseeing vessel operated by Phillips Cruises & Tours, was moored alongside the dock and was also involved in the fire.

Norwegian Jade was subsequently moved away from the affected area as emergency crews responded.

According to local reporting, Whittier Fire Department personnel were joined by other emergency responders, with the extent of the damage becoming apparent as crews brought the blaze under control.

A Whittier Fire Department volunteer told Alaska's News Source that approximately half of the dock had been lost.

Importantly for cruise passengers, Norwegian Jade itself was not damaged and no injuries were reported.

Footage published by local broadcaster Alaska's News Source shows flames and thick smoke around the cruise terminal, along with Norwegian Jade in Whittier during the incident.

Blaze engulfs Whittier cruise ship dock — Alaska's News Source

The incident happened on a turnaround day for Norwegian Jade, meaning one group of passengers was finishing their cruise while another was preparing to board.

Following the fire, embarkation operations were moved to Whittier Alaska Cruise Ship Terminal 1, allowing the next sailing to proceed despite the emergency at the newer terminal.

Access around Whittier was also affected during the response, with the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel temporarily closed.

The tunnel is particularly important because Whittier has an unusual geography. The approximately 4-kilometre tunnel provides the town's only road connection and is shared by road vehicles and trains.

Norwegian Jade was ultimately able to depart Whittier without damage.

The involvement of Klondike Express also prompted concerns about fuel aboard the sightseeing vessel.

NOAA subsequently reported that approximately 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel were accounted for and that no visible fuel sheen had been reported in the water.

The agency was among several organisations responding to the incident.

The cause of the fire had not been confirmed at the time of writing, so although footage shows extensive damage to both the dock area and sightseeing vessel, it is too early to say precisely where or how the blaze began.

The fire is particularly significant because the affected facility is relatively new.

The Chugach Glacier Gateway terminal opened as part of efforts to expand Whittier's capacity as an increasingly important gateway for Alaska cruises.

Whittier sits at the head of Prince William Sound and is commonly used as an embarkation and disembarkation point for one-way Alaska cruises travelling between the region and Vancouver.

Despite the dramatic scenes on Monday, Norwegian Jade was able to continue operations.

The extent of the damage to the terminal — and what it could mean for upcoming cruise calls in Whittier — is still being assessed.

Voyage Ready will update this story as further information becomes available.