Tariff rates may have to go up at the Port of Nome to keep the port profitable. That’s a conversation the Port Commission had during a work session last week and will continue to discuss this Thursday.
Last week the commission discussed increasing the percentage rates for permits at the Inner Harbor by 2%. That’s the part of the harbor that is most labor intensive, according to Port Director Joy Baker, making it a sensible place to raise tariff rates. But the commission still has more to discuss regarding how to raise rates.
This Thursday they will likely discuss the effectiveness of simply raising the base rate of the tariff for the entire port facility by 10%. That would bring the current daily rate for vessels under 200 feet to $1.33 per vessel foot, up from $1.21. Vessels over 200 feet would go from a daily rate of $1.85 per foot to $2.04. Vessels anchored within the outer harbor breakwaters would pay a daily rate of $.67 per foot, an increase of $.06.
The Port commission also worked on clarifying language in the tariff rules and regulations, particularly regarding the use of cameras in the port. Users at the port should expect that they may be filmed while on site and that any request to view the footage must be made to the Nome Police under a public records request. However, according to City Manager Glenn Steckman there is still no agreement on how long the City should store the footage.
Nome’s Port commission meets for another review of the port tariff in a work session this Thursday at 5:30pm followed immediately by their regular meeting. When they agree on a tariff, it will go to the City Council for a final decision.
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that dock rate at the Outer Harbor would become $.67 cents per vessel foot. The post has been edited to show that the rate applies to vessels anchored within the outer harbor breakwaters.
Image at top: Research vessel docked at Nome Port. Photo from JoJo Phillips, KNOM (2019).
