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Belfast council adopts marine-activity rule barring passenger disembarkation from vessels certified for 50+ passengers
Summary
Council adopted amendments to Chapter 30 restricting embarkation and disembarkation of guest passengers (including by tender) from marine vessels certified to carry 50 or more passengers at city landings and marine facilities; Harbor Master clarified the 50+ threshold refers to passengers, not crew.
The Belfast City Council on March 18 approved second-reading amendments to Chapter 30 (marine activities) that stem from a Harbor Committee recommendation restricting embarkation and disembarkation of guest passengers from large passenger vessels at city landings and property.
Staff explained the amendments would prohibit vessels certified to carry 50 or more passengers from embarking or disembarking guest passengers, including by tender, at the city landing or other city-owned marine facilities. The changes reflect prior workshops with the Harbor Committee, public notices and edits requested after the first reading.
Councilor Brenda Bonneville asked whether the threshold phrasing (“50 or more”) behaved as intended and whether the count included workers. Harbor Master Kathy Given answered: “The number 49 is typically a number used for Coast Guard licensing, and that number means the number of passengers, not the crew,” clarifying the intent is to regulate passenger embarkation rather than crew operations.
A councilor moved to approve the second reading as presented; the motion passed by a five-zero vote. Staff noted the amendments incorporate the Harbor Committee’s recommendation and that the city ran public notices and provided redline versions of the draft in the council packet.
