Glacier Bay speed limit for cruises lifted

A 10-knot speed limit for ships in the lower portion of Glacier Bay National Park has been lifted.

The limit is now 13 knots, as in the rest of the park, a popular destination for Alaska cruises.

Park superintendent Susan Boudrea said the numbers and distribution of humpback whales in the lower bay that necessitated the reduced speeds has changed.

Lower ship speeds are considered the best way to minimize the chance of collisions between ships and whales, the park service said.

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