18 Mar

Port of Seattle to Host Spring Job Fairs

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

This week, the Port of Seattle announced a series of job fairs this spring aimed at hiring part-time, full-time and seasonal work for the local maritime and logistics-related industries. More than two dozen employers related to the port industry are expected to take part in the job fairs. Port Jobs, Metro Shore Services (which represent Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises) and SMS Shore Services (which represent Holland America, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Oceania Cruises, and Cruise Terminals of America) are among the job fairs’ sponsors. “Port-related industries need to fill hundreds of jobs,” Port Commissioner Sam Cho said.…

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18 Mar

Port of Long Beach Appoints Program Management Division Lead

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

Tasha Higgins will helm the Port of Long Beach’s Program Management Division, which is responsible for improving waterways, wharfs, terminals, railroads, bridges, roadways and utilities, the port announced Wednesday, March 16. The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday appointed Higgins, who joined the port in October 2020 as assistant director of program management. “She has made a significant impact to the division’s implementation of quantitative risk assessments and helped to improve small business participation on contracts within the Engineering Services Bureau,” the port said. Before coming to the port, Higgins spent nearly three decades working on various transportation…

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15 Mar

Port of San Diego Adding Electric Vehicles to Fleet

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

More than a dozen electric vehicles are scheduled to arrive next year at the Port of San Diego. Port commissioners recently voted to spend $820,000 to buy 14 electric vehicles from National Auto Fleet Group. The 10 medium-duty pickup trucks and four vans will launch the port’s conversion to a zero emissions fleet, replacing gas or diesel-powered vehicles, the port said March 9. The purchase puts into action the port’s Maritime Clean Air Strategy goals set forth by the community and other stakeholders, Dan Malcolm, chair of the port’s Board of Port Commissioners said. “Not only is our approach to…

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15 Mar

Port of Los Angeles Appoints New Chief Harbor Engineer

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

Dina Aryan-Zahlan is the new chief harbor engineer for the Port of Los Angeles, it was announced earlier this month. Aryan-Zahlan, who has been the port’s assistant chief harbor engineer since 2015, takes over overseeing the port’s Engineering Division from David Walsh, who retired in December. Aryan-Zahlan brings over 30 years of engineering experience, including her work at the city of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. She’s been with the port for 22 years, providing leadership to the LA Waterfront development team and expertise to the port’s $1 billion public access infrastructure development program. She also developed the 2003…

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15 Mar

Port of Grays Harbor Seeks Feedback on Draft Study

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

The public is invited to weigh in on the draft version of the Port of Grays Harbor’s 2022-2028 Recreational Lands and Facilities Plan Update, which would serve as a guide for future investment and make the projects eligible for potential state and federal funding. The plan, created in association with the Grays Harbor Council of Governments, looks comprehensively at the port’s recreational facilities. It includes improvements to Westport Marina and Friend’s Landing and potential development of Sterling Landing. The draft also addresses goals to expand access and safety while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Port commissioners are expected to adopt the final…

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15 Mar

L.A., Long Beach Ports Move Container Dwell Fee Start Date

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

As the amount of older cargo lingering at the docks continues to drop, leaders for the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have once again moved the start date of the Container Dwell Fee to March 18, the ports announced Fri., March 11. Leaders at the twin ports have said they plan to reevaluate the start date after they review the week’s data on dwell time, which has seen a total 64% drop in containers hanging out past their time since announcing the fee Oct. 25. Developed with Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, U.S. Department of Transportation and…

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11 Mar

Work Begins on Port of Long Beach Microgrid Demo Project

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

The Port of Long Beach began work this week on a $12.2 million microgrid demonstration project that is expected to provide reliable power in a sustainable way to the port’s Joint Command and Control Center. The microgrid, which was partly funded a $5 million grant from the California Energy Commission, will be outfitted with a 300-kilowatt photovoltaic solar panel array that will power the port’s security base with a link to Jacobsen Pilot Services, as well as an energy control center and a 250-kilowatt stationary battery energy storage system, the port said. It’s also expected to help the port save…

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11 Mar

Port of Bellingham to Welcome Freedom Boat Club

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

Major boat club operator Freedom Boat Club announced Monday that it plans to open its next location at the Port of Bellingham’s Squalicum Harbor. Experienced franchisees Shawn and Tracy Ottenbreit are expected to own and operate the location, which they plan to open in time for this year’s boating season starting May 1 with pocket cruisers, bowriders, center consoles and pilothouse offshore fishing boats, the port said. The new location at Bellingham allows boaters to broaden their access to the San Juan and Gulf Islands. “We are thrilled to continue our growth across the Pacific Northwest and support the expansion…

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11 Mar

Port of Coos Bay, Seafood Processors Seek Grant for Study

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is teaming up with the West Coast Seafood Processors Association and local seafood processors on a grant that they hope would pay for a study exploring the possibility of building a multi-user byproduct recovery center on port-owned land in Charleston, the port announced Wednesday, March 9. Because of tighter regulations for treating and disposing wastewater, Oregon seafood processors have been looking for ways to stay compliant and manage costs, and have been working with the Port of Coos Bay for the last year on a solution. The port said that it plans to…

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08 Mar

Container Dwell Fee at San Pedro Bay Ports On Hold Until March 15

Karen Robes MeeksNews, News Briefs, PMM Online News, Terminal Operations

Enforcement of a fee that would charge ocean carriers for lingering imports at Los Angeles and Long Beach port terminals has been delayed to March 11. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach announced Friday, March 4 that they once again postponed the fee after seeing a 64% decrease in containers dwelling at their docks this past week. Officials have said that they plan to revisit the start date after reviewing the week’s data. The ports announced the fee policy – developed with the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, U.S. Department of Transportation and the supply chain –…

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