Skagway ferry port closed indefinitely due to major structural damage at dock

‘All ferry service to and from Skagway is suspended for the foreseeable future,’ DOT says; passengers with reservations about being contacted about options

Damage to the Skagway ferry terminal dock shared by state officials on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

This story has been updated with additional information from KHNS.

State ferry service to and from Skagway is on hold indefinitely due to major structural damage at the Alaska Marine Highway System dock there, according to an announcement Saturday.

"AMHS terminal agents are actively reaching out to passengers with existing reservations to assist with refunds, alternative travel plans, and rerouting options," an announcement at the ferry system’s website states.

"An estimated timetable for structural repairs will be shared as soon as damage assessments are complete."

Two photos shared on the ferry system’s Facebook page show a large crack at the base of the dock structure.

The AMHS schedule for Skagway for August shows the Hubbard making stops every day but Monday as part of a dayboat circuit that includes Juneau and Haines. Skagway was also scheduled to be visited by the Columbia on Monday, Aug. 17 and Monday, Aug. 31, as part of its mainline route from Bellingham, Washington.

Skagway’s borough manager, Emily Deach, told KHNS she heard the news Saturday morning when she got a call from a DOT engineer.

“They let me know that there’s an issue with the vehicle ramp and possibly the pedestrian ramp,” Deach said.

“My understanding is that what’s happening is the float is being pulled to the west a lot,’ she said. “And because of the state of the float, and how the vehicle ramp is attached, it’s putting pressure on the mechanisms that are holding the ramp in place. So what they discovered was that those mechanisms were failing.”

Deach told the radio station DOT is working with local company Hamilton Construction on a temporary fix.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.