Skagway advisory board reviews Western Copper transport study, community raises port-capacity and rock-slide concerns

SKAGWAY, Alaska — Members of the Skagway Municipality Ports and Harbor Advisory Board and several residents spent most of their April 22 work session reviewing a transportation study from Western Copper and Gold that models 12 scenarios for shipping mine concentrate through Skagway and considers containerized and bulk options.

The study highlights two preferred scenarios: scenario 3, a fully containerized solution that uses ship cranes and stores containers on the Ore Peninsula; and scenario 11, which relies on bulk trucking to storage on the Ore Peninsula combined with containerized ship loading. Port Director Jennings said the study is ‘‘impressive’’ and noted a parallel DP World test of frozen-concentrate handling was completed in January–March and that staff are “just waiting for the results of that.”

Why it matters: the study could influence whether Skagway remains a primary tidewater export point for Yukon mines already considering the Minto Mine and potential new projects, and it raises questions about traffic through town, dock design and environmental protections.

Board members and Yukon government representatives stressed logistical limits. Assembly member Orion Hansen said the current T-shaped dock design is ‘‘not efficient, and it’ll probably cause bottlenecking,’’ and urged that a U-shaped marine service platform be considered to improve throughput and reduce conflicts with cruise and fuel operations. Hansen and other board members flagged narrow windows for ship maneuvers, congestion on State Street and the need to avoid sustained high-frequency truck traffic through town.

Public commenters tied the study to two immediate priorities for the community. Dave Hans, speaking for the Yukon Alaska Port Alliance Inc., read a letter of support from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and asked for a copy of the Western Copper and Gold document so community stakeholders could review it. Paul Taylor, a civil engineer also speaking for the Yukon Alaska Port Alliance, said remediation of the rock slide at the White Pass & Yukon Railroad dock and the Skagway Small Boat Harbor is urgent. ‘‘Remediating this slide is the absolute first priority of the alliance. Time is of the essence to get the slide remediated as quickly and as safely as possible for all users of the port,’’ Taylor said.

Operational questions raised during the session included whether frozen concentrate can be handled reliably in containers in winter, how a mobile shiploader would be supplied from covered storage without exposing material to open air, and whether local tug support is adequate for Handymax-class vessels. Board members noted the report’s estimate that roughly 400 truck-optimized containers would be needed to load a 10,000-ton vessel under the containerized scenarios.

The board and Yukon liaison Bryce Aubrey discussed efforts toward an export cooperation agreement and a memorandum of understanding that would secure a footprint for Yukon mines and potentially allocate three to five acres on the Ore Peninsula and about six acres total within the municipality for port-related storage and staging. That acreage, board members said, has not been precisely allocated and will depend on final loading and storage decisions.

Port staff noted ongoing work on a rate study and a tariff review; the board said those will be necessary to later estimate potential municipal revenue and to compare the capital- and operating-cost differences among scenarios. Board members also referenced previously discussed timelines: the Minto Mine may come back into operation sooner than larger projects such as the Casino (Western Copper & Gold) project, which the board has discussed on a roughly 10-year horizon for permitting and development.

Board members and residents urged a cautious, stepwise approach. Several speakers, including citizen commenters Sherry Quarrington and Lynn Davidson, urged the municipality to consider limits on port growth or timing while major roadway and infrastructure projects are underway and to weigh tourism impacts alongside new industrial traffic.

Next steps: Western Copper and Gold and consultant Westmar are scheduled to make a formal presentation and answer questions at the board’s regular meeting on April 29; several Yukon government representatives indicated they plan to attend. Board members said they will use that presentation to press for clarification on containerized-options that keep ore inside containers from mine to ship, the DP World frozen-concentrate test results, tug requirements, and the specific acreage and staging needs for different loading options.

The Ports and Harbor Advisory Board characterized the session as an initial review rather than a decision point; no formal motions or votes were taken.