News – Page 218 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

28 Dec

Oakland Scrap Paper Shipments Up

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks Shipments of scrap paper rose three percent in the first 10 months of 2018 at the Port of Oakland, bucking a trend for US exports. The port, which considers waste paper its biggest export by container volume, moved 110,400 TEUs of it between January and October 2018, close to 18 percent of Oakland’s total export volume. Most of it went to Asia to use for packaging material. The statistic is impressive, considering the tariff standoff between the US and China and China’s more stringent standards on foreign scrap. While scrap paper shipments to China, the port’s…

28 Dec

Closure Expected for Long Beach Rail Traffic

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks Starting March 9, commuters should anticipate an operational closure at 9th Street near Pico Avenue in Long Beach’s west side. The Port of Long Beach says the closure will allow for longer trains and the movement of cargo using on-dock rail rather than by trucks, a move that will mean less pollution. The closure will also mean better traffic flow and safety, especially at Pico Avenue, Pier B Street and the on- and off-ramps to and from the 710 Freeway. Oversized trucks will be able to access the crossing with special permits and at appointed times,…

28 Dec

New Port of Seattle General Counsel

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks The Port of Seattle has tapped Pete Ramels, a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in the Civil Division of the King County Prosecutor’s Office, to be its General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. “I am honored to join the Port of Seattle as General Counsel and look forward to using my years of legal experience in government, real estate and land use to help our region prosper during this time of economic growth and opportunity,” said Ramels. In his new role, Ramels will advise port leaders on legal matters and oversee the port’s legal team and public…

21 Dec

Olympia CEO Finalists

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks The Port of Olympia Commission is expected to choose an executive director on Dec. 21. The commission will interview the finalists in executive session before announcing its decision in public session later that afternoon. From a pool of 37 candidates, the port whittled it down to three finalists: Sam Gibboney, who served as the Executive Director of the Port of Port Townsend; Geir-Eilif Kalhagen, who was Director of Northern California and Pacific Northwest for Metro Ports in Long Beach, California; and Dan Stahl, COO of the Port of Longview. The chosen candidate will replace Ed Galligan,…

21 Dec

San Pedro Bay Ports Consider Emissions Plans

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are asking the public to weigh in on a draft assessment that looks at the feasibility of clean truck technology – a document that will help the nation’s two busiest seaports reach a key goal within their Clean Air Action Plan. The new version of the plan, which the ports updated in 2017, calls for zero-emissions trucks by 2035 and zero-emissions cargo-handling equipment by 2030. According to the port, the draft released Tuesday lays out the current landscape in this market, including available technology and infrastructure, economic factors…

21 Dec

San Diego Boat Launch to Reopen

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks The boat launch at Shelter Island is expected to reopen on Dec. 21, the Port of San Diego announced this week. The boat launch has been closed to the public since construction began to make the facility safer and easier to navigate. The contractor will remain on site through January 2019 to complete other tasks, including beach grading and site cleanup. Improvements made include widening the basin area where boats maneuver by 80 percent, adding length to boarding floats and installing a newer launch ramp. The project also included making improvements to the public docks and…

21 Dec

Vancouver, USA Approves Hotel Lease

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks The Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners recently agreed to a new lease with T1 Hotel LLC, allowing for a 160-room AC by Marriott Hotel to be built at Terminal 1. This replaces the original lease inked in August 2017 between the port and Vancouver, Washington-based owner of T1 Hotel Vesta Hospitality. According to the port, it incorporates subsequent amendments and includes language on green building standards and ground stabilization necessary to construct at the waterfront.” Work on stabilizing the ground that will support the hotel and future Renaissance Trail connection through Terminal 1 is…

18 Dec

Million-TEU Mark for SSA Seattle

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks Washington State saw its first marine terminal surpass one million TEUs in a year when SSA Marine’s Terminal 18 reached the milestone earlier this month. “To reach 1 million TEUs at a Puget Sound terminal for the first time is an enormous achievement and a testament to the value of working together under the banner of The Northwest Seaport Alliance,” said Don Meyer, Port of Tacoma commission president and co-chair of the NWSA. The North Harbor terminal, which is on its way to 1.1 million TEUs by year’s end, credits the success to an agreement with…

18 Dec

Bellingham Receives Broadband Grant

Sarah SpanglerNews, News Briefs

By Karen Robes Meeks The Port of Bellingham recently received a $50,000 grant from the Community Economic Revitalization Board for a Rural Broadband Feasibility Study. The research will identify which areas in the county are underserved by broadband, explore how to bring that infrastructure to those communities and what is needed to enact a broadband system countywide. “In Whatcom County we have many rural communities who either do not have broadband access or have it but the speed is inadequate,” said Port Director of Economic Development Don Goldberg. Like water, roads, and electricity, broadband is of fundamental importance to social…

18 Dec

Long Beach Chairs Mayors’ Task Force

Sarah SpanglerNews

By Karen Robes Meeks Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia is the new chair of the US Conference of Mayors’ Ports and Exports Task Force. The mayor, who announced his appointment to his constituents earlier this month, said “As Chair I will bring the Port of Long Beach experience and expertise and highlight our Clean Air Action Plan, key infrastructure projects affirming our commitment to operational excellence and other initiatives that make our port one of the best ports in the world.” “Strengthening trade and commerce at our ports is critical to the success of our national and regional economies throughout…