Mark Edward Nero – Pacific Maritime Magazine

26 Nov

Asian Shipowners’ Association Committee Calls for End to Unjust Seafarer Detentions

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In a call to action, the Asian Shipowners Association’s Ship Insurance and Liability Committee, meeting in Hong Kong on Nov. 19, focused on the critical issue of unjust seafarer detention. The committee highlighted a growing crisis that threatens the foundation of the global shipping industry and the rights of those who keep it afloat. “Every day, hundreds of thousands of seafarers navigate the world's oceans, ensuring the smooth flow of goods and commodities. Yet, despite their crucial role, these maritime workers are increasingly finding themselves caught in a web of legal uncertainties,” the ASA said in a statement. Accused of…

19 Nov

Oakland, Anchorage Ports Awarded A Combined $100M for Improvement Projects

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On Nov. 15, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced plans to invest nearly $580 million in 31 port improvement projects across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including projects at the Anchorage, Ak. and Oakland, Calif. seaports. “America’s ports are essential to our nation’s supply chains, and thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, we have projects underway all across the country—from Long Beach to Milwaukee to Monroe—that are making it possible for our ports to move more goods each year and keep costs down for families,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “With the investments…

12 Nov

Maritime Institute Acquires Compass Courses

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San Diego-based training provider Maritime Institute announced Nov. 4 that it’s acquiring Edmonds, Wash.-based based Compass Courses. The acquisition is expected to close by Dec. 1, and training programs are anticipated to begin in Edmonds next month. Compass Courses provides training to mariners throughout the Pacific Northwest, providing service to the commercial fishing, cargo and passenger transportation industries that drive the regional economy. “Compass Courses has an outstanding reputation as a training provider that really cares about their mariners,” Maritime Institute CEO Dave Abrams said. “Adding Compass Courses facilities, staff and great instructional team to our organization will allow us…

22 Oct

Voltera Adds Electric Truck Charging Infrastructure Near NorCal, SoCal Ports

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Voltera, a Northern California-based developer, owner, and operator of charging infrastructure for zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) fleets, has announced the acquisition of new ZEV infrastructure development sites in Los Angeles and West Sacramento. The first newly acquired site, a prime 0.85-acre parcel at 1707 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington, Calif. is four miles from the Port of Long Beach and five miles from the Port of Los Angeles, and is expected to support the region's significant drayage operations, according to Voltera. “The site can accommodate up to 30 electrified stalls and has already secured a power supply of up to…

27 Aug

Port of Portland, Stakeholders Deliver Container Service Business Plan

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On Aug. 23, the Port of Portland, backed by a coalition of stakeholders dedicated to marine container shipping in Oregon, delivered to Gov. Tina Kotek a business plan outlining how to maintain container service at Terminal 6, the state’s only international container terminal. The report illustrates how essential marine container shipping at T6 is to Oregon businesses, and in its findings, underscores the need for public investment to keep container shipping in service as the port continues seeking a third-party operator. Kotek requested the business plan following her pledge to provide financial support to maintain container service, which the port…

20 Aug

San Pedro Bay Ports’ Dwell Times Remain ‘Low and Steady,’ PMSA Says

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In July, the average dwell time for containers moving by truck through the adjoining Los Angeles and Long Beach seaports remained low and steady compared to previous months, according to the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association trade group. The average rail-destined cargo dwell time showed an increase compared to the previous month, but is still below highs from earlier this year, PMSA data show. Cargo traveling through the San Pedro Bay port complex and destined for local delivery via truck spent an average of 2.81 days at port terminals in July, slightly higher than the 2.70 days recorded in June. Meanwhile,…

30 Jul

Ex Seattle Port Police Chief Awarded $24M Following ‘Wrongful’ Firing

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After a six-week trial, the former head of the Port of Seattle’s police department has been awarded $24.2 million in damages as part of a legal case under which he sued the port for unlawful firing, according to a July 22 Seattle Times report. Ex-chief Rod Covey was removed from his post in September 2021, several months after being placed on administrative leave. An internal investigation found that he had violated the port’s code of conduct and human resources policies after a port police officer filed racial discrimination complaints against Covey and other superior officers. Covey sued the port in late 2022,…

23 Jul

Transport Secretary Buttigieg Attends Groundbreaking for POLB Rail Support Facility

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U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and officials from across the nation on July 18 attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Port of Long Beach’s Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, a $1.567 billion endeavor that the port has said will define its cargo movement future. About 500 people gathered for the groundbreaking event for the project, which is expected to double the footprint of the existing rail yard from 82 acres to 171 acres. It is being built in phases, each enhancing cargo movement, with construction scheduled for completion by 2032. In recognition of the facility’s importance to the…

21 May

Port of Portland Reverses Decision to End Cargo Handling at Terminal 6

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The Port of Portland, which in mid-April said that it was halting cargo handling services at Terminal 6 later this year due to a funding shortfall, has reversed its decision following an expected new cash infusion from the Oregon state Legislature. A proposal issued May 16 by Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek includes $35 million for the port from her 2025-2027 proposed budget and $5 million in funding that’s expected to be requested at the September meeting of the state Legislature’s Emergency Board. Each expenditure would need lawmakers’ approval. “After the Port of Portland’s April announcement that container service would end…

14 May

Longtime Seattle Shipyard Manager Doug Dixon Dies

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Longtime maritime industry figure Douglas Dixon, who was the former general manager and director of Pacific Fishermen Shipyard in Seattle, has died. Dixon died last week after a short battle with cancer, his friend Bill Forslund told Maritime Publishing May 4. “Unfortunately my friend Doug headed to the hospital in late March with an unknown malady and was quickly diagnosed with cancer that had spread pretty much all over his body,” Forslund said. Another friend, Nathaniel Howe, said that during his lifetime, Dixon was an “unrelenting advocate for the marine trades, both in Pacific Fishermen Shipyard and in youth outreach…