PMM Online News – Page 158 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

28 May

Harrison to Command USCGC Kimball

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

Capt. Holly Harrison took command of the US Coast Guard Cutter Kimball earlier this month. Harrison, who served as executive assistant to the director of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, is taking over from Capt. David Ramassini. Her Coast Guard career began as a deck watch officer aboard USCGC Storis in Kodiak, Alaska. In the Coast Guard 14th District in Hilo, she was executive officer of USCGC Kiska. She then headed east to other afloat assignments, including commanding officer of USCGC Aquidneck in North Carolina and later in Bahrain, executive officer of USCGC Legare and USCGC Northland both in Portsmouth, Virginia. In 2003, aboard Aquidneck, she and her crew supported Operation Iraqi…

28 May

Redwood City Flex Time

Pacific MaritimeNews, PMM Online News

Starting June 7, the Port of Redwood City will be closed on alternating Fridays as part of a pilot program to help “ease employee commute time, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide one additional hour of business administration to the public Monday through Thursday,” according to the port. As of May 28, the new administrative office hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, and closed every other Friday. The change is prompted in part by the Bay area’s high cost of housing in which many endure long commutes to…

28 May

Coast Guards Cooperate

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

US and Canadian Coast Guard members teamed up earlier this month to conduct an oil spill response drill in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in British Columbia, Canada and the United States. The drill was done in partnership with the Washington Department of Ecology and the BC Ministry of Environment. The goal was to “test the activation process for the Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan, Pacific Annex, and to test moving response assets and personnel across the US/Canadian border,” according to the US Coast Guard. “These types of joint exercises are a great way to test our…

24 May

Everett Closer to Acquiring Mill Site

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

The Port of Everett moved one step closer to possibly acquiring by condemnation the 67-acre former Kimberly-Clark (K-C) mill site, which sits in the middle of an increasingly busy waterfront. Earlier this month, port commissioners authorized a public meeting to “consider taking final action of legal proceedings, if necessary,” to obtain the former K-C mill site, which accounted for 700 direct jobs until its 2012 closure. According to the port, the commission, which first moved to acquire the site in February 2016, has been in talks with K-C for several years as the company worked through several environmental and structural…

24 May

Port of Vancouver USA Wins Outreach Award

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

The Port of Vancouver USA has earned the Washington Public Ports Association’s Community Outreach Award for its annual Lecture Series. The award, which the port accepted earlier this month in Spokane, Wash., recognizes a port effort or project that engages the residents of the community in a positive way. “The Lecture Series has been an incredible opportunity to reach out to, and connect with the community in a way we never have before,” said CEO Julianna Marler. “We are grateful to the many organizations and individuals that dedicated their time and expertise to make these lectures happen.” Since launching in…

24 May

Alaska Coast Guard Promotes Safe Boating Week

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

This week, the US Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary throughout Alaska are promoting safe boating practices in recognition of National Safe Boating Week, a pre-Memorial Day campaign to help lower boating deaths and accidents. "Boating safety is of paramount importance," said Paul Webb, Coast Guard 17th District search and rescue specialist. "With the ever-changing weather in Alaska the only thing that we have control over is how we prepare. Preparing for a worst-case scenario grants you a better chance of survival and allows the Coast Guard valuable time that you may not otherwise have." Last year, the Coast Guard…

21 May

Oakland Imports Up

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

The Port of Oakland says its import business continues to grow despite tariff increases. Last month, the port saw its busiest April in history, with imports jumping 7 percent when compared to the same period last year while exports rose 1.7 percent. Although the numbers are up, there’s still cause for concern since the Trump Administration raised tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent, according to the port, which counts China its biggest trading partner. “We entered this year with uncertainty over the trade outlook, so we’re gratified by the solid performance of import…

21 May

Domestic Maritime Impact Celebrated at Seattle Breakfast

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

Washington Senator Maria Cantwell joined business and government leaders from around the region on Friday, May 17, at the Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast, presented by the Seattle Propeller Club in collaboration with the Port of Seattle, to celebrate the importance of the domestic maritime industry, which sustains 22,500 local jobs, and announce a 34 percent growth in domestic maritime jobs created in the State of Washington. According to the findings of a new report conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) on behalf of Transportation Institute (TI), the domestic maritime industry in Washington ranks sixth among all American states for jobs and labor…

21 May

Long Beach Grants Top $400k

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

Earlier this month, the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners awarded 153 sponsorships totaling $419,060 to promote the arts, environment, social justice and historic preservation. The funds went to events such as the Century Villages at Cabrillo Community Resources Fair, the Khmer Girls in Action Yellow Lounge Cultural Arts Showcase, the Long Beach Playhouse Radio Hour Fundraiser and the Long Beach Veterans Day Parade. “With the sponsorship program, the port is honored to be in a position to help local organizations support vibrant programs and beneficial projects throughout our community,” said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Tracy Egoscue. “The sponsorships…

21 May

Hawaii Sees Largest Cruise Ship

Karen Robes MeeksNews, PMM Online News

Earlier this month, Honolulu received its largest ever cruise vessel to call in its harbor. Royal Caribbean Cruise’s Ovation of the Seas made its first visit May 2, carrying approximately 5,000 passengers, which is “double what Honolulu Harbor typically sees from other cruise vessels visiting Honolulu,” according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), which facilitated ground transportation within harbor property. The extra-large arrival prompted HDOT to release alerts cautioning the public on traffic delays on Nimitz Highway/Ala Moana Boulevard near Pier 2 during Ovation’s short stay as passengers left and boarded the cruise vessel.