News – Pacific Maritime Magazine

19 Sep

Reports Show LA, Long Beach Ports Making Progress on Emissions Reductions

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

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach saw significant strides in lowering emissions last year, according to reports recently released by the ports. In Los Angeles, diesel particulate matter dipped 88%, nitrogen oxides fell 62% and sulfur oxides dropped 97% since 2005, the baseline year. In Long Beach, 2022 diesel particulates fell 91%, nitrogen oxides dropped 63% and sulfur oxides plummeted 97% from 2005, according to the port’s annual emissions inventory report. These decreases occurred in 2022, when cargo container volumes rose 36%. This puts Long Beach ahead of its San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan goals…

19 Sep

Crowley, SEACOR Form Joint Venture

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscrowley, fairwaterholdings, seabulktankers, seacor

Crowley Maritime and SEACOR Holdings (through its Seabulk Tankers, Inc. subsidiary) have formed a joint venture called Fairwater Holdings LLC to expand both companies’ capabilities in liquid energy and chemical transportation vessels, operations and services, the companies announced Sept. 13. Fairwater will be a standalone company based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but would also maintain offices in Seattle and on the East and Gulf coasts. It intends to serve the U.S. market with 20 articulated tug-barges and 11 tankers as well as crewing and technical management for another 21 third-party owned vessels, according to the announcement. “Fairwater marks an important…

19 Sep

U.S. Navy Releasing Leased Acreage to Port of San Diego

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsposd, sandiego, usn

The U.S. Navy has agreed to relinquish its lease of a 3.4-acre site to the Port of San Diego, paving the way for potential commercial and recreational development along the North Embarcadero, the port revealed Sept. 12. The two sides struck a deal on the 1220 Pacific Highway property that the port inherited from the city of San Diego that the Navy has leased since 1949. The lease was to expire in 2049, but the deal allows the port to be able to use the land now for possible development. Under the lease termination agreement, the port would offer $5.75…

19 Sep

Port of Vancouver USA Settles Pollution Lawsuit

Mark Edward NeroNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscolumbiariverkeeper, lawsuit, pollution, vancouverusa

The Port of Vancouver USA and environmental group Columbia Riverkeeper on Sept. 12 announced that they have reached an agreement to settle a Clean Water Act lawsuit challenging years of alleged unlawful water pollution from the public port. In the settlement, the port committed to make significant changes to reduce the amount of water pollution that flows off the 1643-acre property and into the Columbia River. However, before the proposed settlement can go into effect, it must undergo a 45-day review period by the U.S. Department of Justice and then be approved by a federal district court judge. As part…

19 Sep

Monthly Cargo Volumes Down at Long Beach Port

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscargovolumes, polb, TEUs

Overall cargo volumes at the Port of Long Beach last month were down 15.4% from the same time a year ago, signaling a continued shift in consumer spending and overfilled warehouses, according to data released by the port Sept. 13. Long Beach handled 682,312 TEUs in August, with 15.4% fewer imports at 325,436 TEUs, and 23.1% fewer exports with 93,402 TEUs year over year. Empty containers also dropped 12.5% to 263,474 TEUs last month. “We anticipated a modest peak season as our cargo numbers continue to stabilize at pre-pandemic levels,” Port CEO Mario Cordero said. “Over the long term we…

12 Sep

Applications Open for Upcoming Blue Economy Accelerator Program

Mark Edward NeroNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsaccelerator, startblue, ucsd

Entrepreneurs with startups that are tackling an ocean-related challenge with a science-and- engineering-based solution now have a new opportunity to gain knowledge and support. Applications are currently being accepted for free participation in the upcoming cohort of StartBlue, a blue-tech-focused program that’s offered by a University of California, San Diego accelerator program, in partnership with Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Rady School of Management. Applications for the upcoming cohort opened Sept.1 and are being accepted through Oct. 31. The program is scheduled to run January-June 2024. StartBlue focuses on company formation, bringing Scripps science and Rady entrepreneurship curriculum to teams…

12 Sep

Port of Oakland Gets 2 New Board Members

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsportcommission, portofoakland

The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners has two new members. PowerSwitch Action Leadership Development Director Jahmese Myres and Voter Protection Project Board President Stephanie Dominguez Walton are the new commissioners, the Port of Oakland announced Sept. 1. Myres and Dominguez Walton replaced outgoing commissioners Cestra “Ces” Butner and Joan Story. The new commissioners’ appointments were approved by the Oakland City Council in July. Myres previously worked at the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy as campaign director and deputy director. From 2014 to 2020, she served on the City of Oakland Planning Commission. Besides her work with the Voter…

12 Sep

Port of Newport Board Approves Purchase of Crane for Terminal

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newsnit, portofnewport, terminalcrane

The Newport International Terminal (NIT) at the Port of Newport, Oregon is expected to get a new rough terrain crane in the coming months to help load equipment onto ships. The port announced Aug. 25 that commissioners agreed to purchase a newer crane to replace an older, smaller crane, which was experiencing more mechanical issues in part because bigger loads are pressing capacity limits,. NIT Facilities Manager Don Moon helped secure a 2021 model “at great savings,” according to a port news release. “The port has found an opportunity to purchase an unused 2021 Grove GRT655L with a one year…

12 Sep

San Francisco Bay Ferry Posts High Reliability and On-Time Performance Stats

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

San Francisco Bay Ferry has been scoring high on reliability and on-time performance so far this year, according to new data released Aug. 30 by the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA). Since January, the San Francisco Bay Ferry finished 99% of its scheduled trips and arrived at its destination within five minutes of schedule on 97% of its scheduled trips, WETA data show. WETA began collecting the data after it launched a real-time transit information system in 2022. The same year, SF Bay Ferry launched a new Anchor Operating System-driven smartphone app that lets users subscribe…

12 Sep

Coast Guard to Detail Proposed Soil Cleanup at Washington’s Point No Point Light Station

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online Newscontamination, lead, uscg

The U.S. Coast Guard is inviting the public to a Sept. 21 open house to talk about potential efforts to clean up lead-contaminated soil at the Point No Point Light Station in Hansville, Wash. The Coast Guard performed a site assessment in 2018 and said that it found “elevated concentrations of lead in the soil around the perimeter of the four existing light station buildings” that likely stem from the use of lead-based paint on the buildings. The agency is expected to lead the soil cleanup that is set to start in early 2024 and take about a month to…