The Port of Seattle is nearing completion of a $104 million redevelopment project at Terminal 91, adding more than 800 feet of moorage and modernizing waterfront infrastructure used by the North Pacific commercial fishing fleet.
The project, which focuses on Berths 6 and 8 along the northeast side of Pier 90, is scheduled to open for use in the fourth quarter of 2026. Improvements are designed to accommodate large commercial fishing vessels, increase berthing flexibility, and preserve Terminal 91's role as a major home port for vessels operating in Alaska's fisheries.
According to the Port of Seattle, the redevelopment includes a new high-capacity pier, replacement pilings, a new float system, bulkhead improvements, and consolidated office space for port operations and fishing industry customers.
The new berths will also provide shore power for fishing and industrial vessels, allowing them to connect to landside electricity while docked.
A significant portion of the work involves replacing aging waterfront infrastructure. The project includes demolition of more than 62,000 square feet of condemned or load-restricted timber apron and 830 linear feet of seawall.
In its place, the Port is constructing a pier designed to support loads of 650 pounds per square foot, with updated utilities, bollards and a steel fender system suited to commercial fishing and industrial operations.
The redevelopment also includes environmental improvements, particularly the removal of more than 2,200 creosote-treated timber pilings and installation of a stormwater treatment system. According to the Port, the improvements will increase the terminal's functionality without expanding the pier's overwater coverage.
Construction began in the third quarter of 2024 following authorization by the Port Commission in 2023. The project has a total authorization of $104 million.
A half-century of Port ownership
The redevelopment comes as Terminal 91 marks 50 years since returning to Port of Seattle ownership in 1976, following decades of use as a U.S. Navy supply facility.
Located along Smith Cove on the north side of Elliott Bay, the terminal has a long history of maritime activity dating back to the late 1800s, when the Great Northern Railway established shipping facilities connecting Seattle to international trade routes.
The Port acquired the property in the early 1900s and developed major shipping piers before the Navy took control of the facilities in 1941 as the United States prepared to enter World War II.
For more than three decades, the property served as a naval supply center supporting military operations throughout the Pacific and Alaska.
After the Navy announced plans to close the facility in 1970, negotiations to return the property to the Port continued for six years. On June 30, 1976, the Port completed the purchase for approximately $15.4 million, regaining control of 198 acres and two half-mile-long piers.
Today, Terminal 91 supports both cruise operations and commercial fishing vessels, including large ships harvesting seafood in Alaska's waters.
The ongoing redevelopment reflects the Port's efforts to maintain that maritime infrastructure as the needs of the fishing industry evolve.
With more than 800 feet of additional moorage, upgraded utilities and improved access for vessels of varying sizes, the project is intended to bring previously restricted berths back into productive use while supporting the long-term presence of the North Pacific fishing fleet in Seattle.
