Belfast city councilors have taken an initial step toward banning cruise ships and other large passenger vessels from docking at the city landing, after local officials and a business group raised concern about congestion and other headaches they have brought in the past.
Councilors voted Tuesday night to direct the city’s planning staff to draft an amendment that would ban the visits, which would need additional approval.
While the Waldo County city has not received the same level of cruise ship traffic as some other communities along Maine’s coast — particularly Bar Harbor or Portland — it received eight such visits last summer and is expecting roughly 14 this year.
The decision comes as Bar Harbor starts to enforce its own controversial new restrictions on cruise ship traffic that voters approved in 2022 and affirmed in a referendum last fall. At the same time, some other coastal communities, including Eastport and Rockland, have seen Bar Harbor’s rules as an opportunity to accept more cruise ships in their own ports.
Of particular concern to Belfast officials has been the American Eagle, a new larger ship run by American Cruise Lines that made five visits last summer, starting in August.
While the cruise line assured the city the ship would be able to dock with little problem, Harbor Master Katherine Given said in a memo to councilors, “Unfortunately, many problems did arise, including some that were not discussed, such as the unexpected arrival of charter buses to take the ship’s passengers to other locations.”
Given added, “Some of these problems had a definite negative impact on other visiting boaters using the docks, launch ramp use, and pedestrian and traffic safety around the Belfast City Landing.”
The council voted 5-0 to send the changes to the planning board, after the city’s harbor advisory committee recommended the change last week. If passed, the proposed ban would bar any marine vessel that can carry 50 or more passengers from allowing guest passengers to embark or disembark — including by tender — at the Belfast landing or other city properties.
Support for the proposed ban also came from the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce. In a memo to councilors, Executive Director Dorothy Havey argued that cruise ship passengers often don’t provide a ton of business to local shops and restaurants, since they are typically on a tight schedule and may rely on a tour service that takes them elsewhere.
“While we appreciate the potential for tourism revenue, the detrimental effects of cruise ships on our safety, environment, local businesses, and community character cannot be overlooked,” Havey said. “It is vital that we prioritize the long-term health and well-being of our town over short-term economic gains.”
Cruise ship operators do benefit the city by paying local docking fees, generating revenues of $16,142 last year and potentially bringing nearly $24,000 this coming summer. But if cruise ships stop coming, Given said the city would likely be able to make up much of that loss given the high demand among other recreational vessels — such as private boats or windjammers — for Maine’s limited docking space.
“Having this dock space open will also allow us to better accommodate other users of the facilities,” Given said. “The more the committee discussed it, the more we realized we didn’t have options.”
Most of the councilors offered tentative words of support for the proposal.
