Karen Robes Meeks – Page 2 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

02 Apr

Auto, Breakbulk Cargo Service Launches at Seattle’s Terminal 46

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online NewsNWSA, seattle, tacoma, terminal46

Regular auto and breakbulk cargo service at Terminal 46 in the Seattle harbor officially began March 27 with the arrival of the vehicle carrier Triumph Ace. For the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Terminal 46 is a key location for cargo, offering more than 42 acres of laydown space in the Seattle harbor for cargo shippers. Terminal operator Pacific Terminal Services Co. and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19 are the processors of cargo at the terminal. Port of Seattle Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair Hamdi Mohamed said the alliance is excited to open Terminal 46 for regular service. We appreciate…

02 Apr

Cargo Volumes Up at L.A., Oakland Ports

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscargovolumes, pola, portofoakland, TEUs

Cargo volumes were up at the Los Angeles and Oakland seaports in February, a sign of stronger consumer spending, according to new data. The Port of L.A. saw a 60% spike in overall cargo year over year in February, when it handled 781,434 TEUs, marking seven straight months of year-over-year increases, according to data released by the port March 18. POLA imports in February rose 64% to 408,764 TEUs, while loaded exports jumped 61% to 132,755 TEUs when compared to the same time last year. Empties also spiked 54% to 239,916 TEUs year over year. Through the first two months…

02 Apr

Unionized BC Ferries Workers to Receive 7.5% Wage Increase

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsbcferries, wages

Unionized BC Ferries workers are expected to receive a 7.75% wage increase for one year, with many getting additional “special increases” such as an extra 10% increase for some licensed mariners, the British Columbia ferries operator announced March 28. The increase, retroactive to Oct. 1, 2023, is expected to be in place through March 31, 2025 as part of a labor settlement. Bargaining unit wages are expected to be negotiated two more times over the next 18 months, “with a second wage reopener in April 2025 and the full collective agreement in October 2025,” according to BC Ferries. The ferry…

26 Mar

Port of Olympia Hosting Town Hall With New Executive Director

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsnewsmakers, portofolympia

The Port of Olympia is expected to host a town hall on March 27 to introduce new Executive Director Alex Smith to the community. The event gives Smith a chance to meet residents, share her vision for the port’s future and field questions from constituents. “We encourage residents, business owners, stakeholders and anyone interested in the port’s activities to join us in person for this engaging event,” port spokesperson Taber Lee said. “It’s an excellent opportunity to get to know Alex and gain a deeper understanding of her vision and priorities.” The Port of Olympia Commission selected Smith in February…

26 Mar

Port of Tacoma Okays Maritime Center Design Funding

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsmaritimecenter, NWSA, portoftacoma

Port of Tacoma commissioners on March 19 authorized $7 million toward the Port Maritime Center, which would pay for master planning, legal fees and community engagement and bring the project to 60% design. The total cost of the design is estimated at $13.5 million, according to a port commission staff report. The port and Tacoma Public Schools are teaming up to develop a Port Maritime Center Campus and a maritime skills center on Parcels 92 and 94, port-owned land along Foss Waterway across from downtown Tacoma. The Maritime|253 Skills Center aims to nurture the industry’s future workforce needs and would…

26 Mar

San Francisco Bay Ferry Nets $3M for Vallejo Ferry Terminal Reconfiguration

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsferries, sfbay

The Vallejo Ferry Terminal Reconfiguration Project has received a boost in federal funding. San Francisco Bay Ferry on March 12 announced that it has secured $3 million for the project as part of the newly signed federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. The $16 million project, which could start construction as early as 2025, calls for moving the ferry dock further into the Napa River at the same location downtown. When completed, it would enhance “service reliability, operational efficiency, climate change resilience and the rider experience by redesigning and rebuilding a key terminal on SF Bay Ferry’s most popular route,”…

26 Mar

L.A., Long Beach Rail Dwell Times Up, Truck Times Stable

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsdwelltimes, pmsa, pola, polb

The average time it took for a container to leave the Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports via rail in February rose significantly from the previous month, according to data released March 19 by the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association. Dwell time for containers leaving the ports by rail jumped from a 4.72-day average in January to a 6.26-day average in February, indicating that rail cargo is experiencing a rise in congestion, the association said. However, the average truck dwell time was 2.82 days in February, not drastically different from January’s 2.89-day average. “These truck dwell times for 2024 are near…

26 Mar

BRIX Marine Adding Catamaran to Vessel Line

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsbrix, catamaran

BRIX Marine is currently working on the latest addition to its line of vessels at its Port Angeles, Wash. facility, the marine vessel manufacturer announced March 21. When complete, the 4615-HTC landing catamaran is expected to aid maritime professionals in activities ranging from coastal patrols to offshore support, according to the company. The vessel would feature 5086 alloy aluminum hull skins and 5052 alloy aluminum interior transverse frames and a propulsion system with Quad Yamaha 450HP outboard engines. It would also include handrails on fore, side and aft decks, detachable radar and antenna mast, side boarding doors and gunwale trays…

19 Mar

SSA Marine Debuts Electric Forklift at San Diego Port Terminal

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsposd, ssamarine, zeroemissions

One of the biggest zero-emissions heavy-duty forklifts operating in the U.S. has been introduced at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. Terminal operator SSA Marine announced March 6 that the 55,000-pound capacity Wiggins Yard eBull battery electric forklift has begun service at the Southern California port terminal. Partly funded by California’s Clean Off-Road Equipment (CORE) voucher program, the forklift is the first of six zero-emissions cargo handling equipment pieces expected to be rolled out at the terminal over the next 12 to 18 months; the port says that it has already finished initial electrical infrastructure installation necessary…

19 Mar

Port of Vancouver Forecasts Record Breaking 2024 Cruise Season

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsbritishcolumbia #vancouverplace, cruises, portofvancouver

British Columbia’s Port of Vancouver has said that it’s poised to have its busiest cruise season ever. The seaport announced March 8 that based on early estimates, it anticipates a record year for cruise passenger visits to the Canada Place cruise terminal in Vancouver. The cruise terminal expects to have 329 cruise ship visits scheduled between now and Oct. 29, bringing in a potential 1.27 million passengers, about 2% more than 2023, which also was a record year, the port said. “We expect 2024 to be another strong season for the award-winning Canada Place cruise terminal, as we solidify Vancouver…