Articles – Pacific Maritime Magazine

From the Publisher

Dear Readers, It is with mixed emotions that I am writing to let you know that future issues of Pacific Maritime Magazine will be presented in digital format only. While I am a big believer in print publications, and it is my preferred medium for reading magazines, the economics of printing and mailing magazines continues to move in the wrong direction. Our revenues simply cannot keep pace with the ever-increasing costs. When I revived Pacific Maritime back in 2021 after the former publisher decided to cease the publication, I really felt that the magazine needed to be saved, as it…

Bellingham Port Awarded Terminal Electrification Grant, Renews BCS Lease

The Port of Bellingham has secured a $2.8 million state grant to electrify operations at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, the port announced Sept. 3. Bellingham was among 11 Washington seaports to obtain funding from the state’s $26.5 port electrification grant program. The project, which the port plans to complete by 2026, would allow vessels docked at the terminal to plug in with shore power. It also builds on a number of modernization projects already in progress, which include fortifying the main dock and deepening the navigation depth to attract a larger range of cargo vessels. The port previously netted a…

International Shipping Firms Form New Alliance

Three Asia-based global shipping lines, Singapore-headquartered Ocean Network Express (ONE), South Korea’s HMM (formerly known as Hyundai Merchant Marine) and Yang Ming Marine Transportation of Taiwan, plan to cooperate under a new cooperative called the Premier Alliance for five years starting in February 2025, the firms announced Sept. 9. The alliance plans to focus on major East-West trade routes, including Asia-North America, Asia-Europe and Asia-Mediterranean, and is expected by industry observers to have a major impact on global trade and shipping routes. “The close network collaboration that exists between the three companies will be further strengthened and enhanced under this…

BOEM Finalizes Protections for Marine Archaeological Resources

New regulations finalized by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Aug. 30 aim to better protect shipwrecks and other cultural resources on the seabed from adverse impacts of offshore oil and gas activities. Under the final rule, which is effective Oct. 3, lessees and operators are required to submit an archaeological report along with any exploration or development plan for proposed activities on the U.S. Continental Shelf (OCS). The report must detail procedures for reporting discovery of possible archaeological resources and how operations would avoid or minimize harm if archaeological resources are present. BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein said that…

Study: Vancouver Port Adds Billions of Dollars to Canada’s Economy

The Port of Vancouver in British Columbia is a major job and revenue generator for Canada, creating more than 132,000 jobs and contributing $16.3 billion to the country’s gross domestic product, according to an Economic Impact Study released Aug. 20 by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the agency that governs the port. The study also showed that nearly 80% of the jobs and economic activities benefiting from port-related operations remain in British Columbia, including more than 103,000 jobs. The jobs pay an average of $88,000 annually, higher than the country’s average wage of $58,000, according to the port. “The study…

Maersk Christens New Green Methanol-Powered Containership

The Alette Maersk, the fourth dual-fuel vessel owned by global shipping company A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S, underwent a naming ceremony near the Port of Los Angeles on Aug. 27. The 350-meter vessel (nearly 1,150 feet), which can carry more than 16,500 TEUs, was built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, South Korea. In a speech during the ceremony, Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc said that the vessel sailed all the way to Southern California from South Korea powered by green methanol, making her the first of its kind to call at a U.S. port. Also, he said, since the…

San Francisco Bay Ferry Nets $11 Million for Fast Electric Ferries

Efforts by the San Francisco Bay Ferry transit service to purchase three high-speed battery ferries are moving forward with the help of an $11 million Federal Transit Administration grant, it was announced Sept. 16. The grant is expected to fund SF Bay Ferry’s trio of 150-passenger battery-powered ferries that would serve Treasure Island, Mission Bay, Downtown San Francisco and other San Francisco waterfront communities. “San Francisco’s waterfront is thriving, and this award will make sure that they are connected and accessible using state-of-the-art zero-emission congestion-reducing ferries,” SF Bay Ferry Board of Directors Chair Jim Wunderman said. So far, the ferry…

BRIX Marine Launches Alaska Whale Watching Vessel

Port Angeles, Wash.-based vessel designer and manufacturer BRIX Marine has launched a new custom-built whale watching vessel for Allen Marine Tours in Alaska, BRIX announced Aug. 29. The 4818-HTC Raven has a 48-foot hull, a 17-foot-6-inch beam, a lightship weight of about 31,000 pounds, four 450-horsepower outboard engines and a fuel capacity of 600 gallons. “Raven is a 49 passenger-vessel built on our proven High Tunnel Catamaran design,” BRIX Marine Managing Director Perry Knudson said. “With the 1,800 horsepower provided by Yamaha, she’s fast, quiet and smooth.” “We also incorporated some additional amenities in the galley that elevate the experience…

Oakland Seaport Joins Freight Logistics Optimization Effort

The Port of Oakland is taking part in the U.S. Department of Transportation Freight Logistics Optimization Works (FLOW) effort, joining other West Coast seaports in a real-time information-sharing network that improves the movement of goods, the port announced Aug. 21. FLOW, a public-private partnership, allows information to be pulled from a number of sources, including purchase orders and booking data, from importers with information from terminals, rail and ocean carriers, the Northern California seaport said. “We appreciate the USDOT for the opportunity to join the FLOW initiative,” Port Executive Director Danny Wan said in a statement. “FLOW will allow us…

Fire Temporarily Shuts Multiple Port of LA Terminals

A tractor trailer that overturned at the Port of Los Angeles caused a fire that temporarily closed multiple terminals in late September. APM Terminals, Fenix Marine, Everport and Yusen Terminals were closed part of the day on Sept. 26 and 27 as local fire, hazmat and police agencies responded to the fire, which was caused when the tractor trailer—which was carrying a load of lithium batteries—ignited a fire near Ocean Boulevard and Navy Way on Terminal Island, the Port of LA said in a statement. The port’s TraPac and West Basin container terminals both remained open, as did the World…