News Briefs – Page 47 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

20 Sep

Port of Tacoma OKs New Workforce Development Strategic Plan

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsportoftacoma, workforcedevelopment

The Port of Tacoma is looking to bolster its workforce development investments in Pierce County and in particular, good maritime and trade sector jobs that don’t require four-year college degrees. Commissioners on Aug. 19 approved a new Workforce Development Strategic Plan, which would include an effort to support the Youth Marine Foundation, working with local groups on internship and paid work experience opportunities for youths with trades employers, a port summer internship program and nurture the Tacoma Public Schools Tideflats Certification Programs. “The port’s workforce development strategies were developed to create more pathways for local youth and young adults to…

13 Sep

Ports America Appoints New CEO

Mark Edward NeroNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsceo, portsamerica

Marine terminal operator Ports America on Aug. 26 announced the appointment of Matthew Leech as president and chief executive officer, effective in November. He will succeed Mark Montgomery, who is retiring, but plans to continue with the company in an advisory role. Leech is a seasoned ports and terminal executive with more than 25 years of experience in the maritime industry. Previously, he was CEO and managing director for the Americas with logistics company DP World. Prior to DP World’s acquisition of CSX World Terminals in 2005, Leech oversaw key expansion initiatives for CSX in his role as vice president,…

13 Sep

Seattle Port Commissioner Going on Nordic Trade Mission

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operationsnordicstudy, portofseattle, trademission

Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins is expected to travel this week with a delegation from Washington state on the Nordic Study and Trade Mission being led by Gov. Jay Inslee and the Washington Department of Commerce, the port announced Sept. 9. The mission encompasses travel to Finland, Sweden, and Norway, and includes visits to the U.S. Embassies in Helsinki and Oslo, the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the KTH Royal Institute and the Wallenberg Wood Science Center in Stockholm, the Maritime Competence Center in Aalesund, Norway, and to Oceantech Innovation, Trondheim, which delves into technology aimed at supporting…

13 Sep

Port of LA Nets $20M Federal Infrastructure Grant

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operationsinfrastructure, pola

The Port of Los Angeles has been awarded a $20 million federal infrastructure grant to pay for a road-railway grade separation project. The project calls for building a four-lane, rail-roadway grade separation, allowing for trucks to have easier access to an 80-acre marine support facility on Terminal Island, the port said. Currently, high traffic rail tracks and a tunnel with a low-height clearance has made it harder to access the facility for chassis and empty shipping container storage, according to the port. The project is expected to improve that access. When it’s done, the new rail-roadway is expected to link…

13 Sep

Alaska Marine Lines Puts New Reefers into Service

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operationsalaskamarinelines, reefers, refrigeratedcontainers

Alaska Marine Lines was able to move 852 containers of Bristol Bay sockeye harvest this year, thanks to new refrigerated containers that were sent in May to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The state-of-the-art reefers include software that can control the temperature of the containers, requiring one-fifth less power than older containers, the company said. This means fewer generators to run, less fuel use and less pollution. “In the Southeast lane alone the lower amp draws … have allowed us to transition from running four or five generators on the northbound sailings to only one generator running 70-plus reefers,” said Steve Hardin,…

09 Sep

USCG Shuts Down Illegal Southern California Charter Vessels

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsillegalcharter, uscg

The U.S. Coast Guard shut down three illegal charter vessels operating in Southern California over Labor Day weekend, the Guard announced. Sector San Diego halted two illegal charter vessels and their voyages while they carried passengers for hire. Meanwhile, the USCG teamed up with the Marina Del Rey Sheriff’s law enforcement to stop Beirut, a 58-foot pleasure boat operating an illegal charter vessel with 15 passengers. The vessel is in violation of not having a valid certificate of inspection, not having a Coast Guard-licensed captain, running in coastwise trade without the appropriate certificate of documentation endorsement and for failing to…

09 Sep

USCG, Partners Respond to Oil Spill Off Catalina Island

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscatalinaisland, oilspill, uscg

On the morning of Sat., Sept. 3, members of the U.S. Coast Guard and partner agencies responded to an oil spill caused by a 40-foot yacht that sank near Two Harbors on Catalina Island. The yacht, which reportedly was submerged in 65 feet of water, had about 210 gallons of fuel, batteries, a portable generator and cleaning products, according to the Coast Guard. “Due to the pollution threat this vessel represents to the environment and surrounding area, the Coast Guard opened the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to hire an oil spill response organization to conduct clean-up operations,” the Coast…

09 Sep

A.P. Moller – Maersk Acquires LF Logistics

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newslflogistics, maersk

Danish shipping company A.P. Moller - Maersk on Aug. 31 announced its $3.6 billion acquisition of Hong Kong-based contract logistics company LF Logistics. As a result of the acquisition, LF Logistics is being rebranded as Maersk. The newly named Maersk is expected to add 223 warehouses to its existing portfolio, bringing the total number of facilities to 549 globally, spread across a total of 9.5 million square meters. “Maersk in Asia has historically been primarily focused on ocean transportation out of Asia and related logistics services,” A.P. Moller - Maersk Regional Managing Director of Asia Pacific Ditlev Blicher said. “With…

09 Sep

Port of Portland, Timber Coalition Members Awarded $41.4M

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsoregontimbercoalition, portofportland

An effort to develop and broaden Oregon’s growing mass timber industry received a financial boost Sept. 2 with $41.4 million in U.S. Economic Development Administration funding to the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition, the Port of Portland announced Sept. 2. The coalition consists of the Port of Portland, Business Oregon, Oregon Department of Forestry, the Department of Land Conservation and Development and the TallWood Design Institute. The funding is to further university research about using mass timber in housing, help the port develop a factory aimed at making mass timber housing, rev up public-private partnerships that would nurture job creation and…

06 Sep

From the Editor: Terminal Blockades

Mark Edward NeroFrom the Editor, News Briefs, PMM Online News

In mid-August, the Port of Oakland announced that its monthly loaded container volumes dropped 28% as compared to the same month in 2021. The reason for the dip? According to the port, it was a nearly week-long protest at the port during July that virtually shuttered each of the port’s container terminals. During the protests, which began July 18 and ended July 23, the port’s shipping terminals were effectively shut down. Specifically, the port said that protestors blocked and slowed traffic, particularly trucks, that were attempting to enter and leave the container shipping facilities located at the port’s inner and…