December 2022 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Matson Awards $1 Billion Contract to Build LNG-Fueled Containerships

Philly Shipyard, Inc. has been selected by Hawaii-based ocean transportation and logistics services provider Matson Navigation Co. to construct three Aloha Class LNG-fueled containerships. The award is valued at about $1 billion. The vessels are contracted for delivery in 2026 and 2027. With the three containership contract from Matson, Philly Shipyard’s order book is now the largest in its 25 year history at over $2 billion, the company said. “Winning this order creates historic backlog for Philly Shipyard, as well as great visibility through 2027 for its shareholders and other stakeholders,” Philly Shipyard Board Chair Kristian Rokke stated. “Long term,…

Seaspan Secures Canadian Coast Guard Support Services Contract

North Vancouver, BC-based Vancouver Shipyards, an arm of Seaspan Shipyards, has been awarded a long-term contract with the Canadian Coast Guard to support the engineering work needed to maintain the Guard’s current fleet. The engineering support services contract, which was revealed Oct. 20, is for up to nine years with an initial three-year period and the option for up to three two-year renewals. Seaspan’s engineering partners under the contract include Albion Marine Solutions, Aspin Kemp & Associates, Elomatic Marine Canada, Genoa Design International and Poseidon Marine Consultants. “Seaspan and our engineering partners will provide integrated naval architecture, marine/mechanical and electrical…

Port of LA Launches New 24/7 Live Waterfront Camera

The Port of Los Angeles has partnered with live camera technology company EarthCam to provide 24/7 streaming services for its LA waterfront live camera, the port announced in early November. Located on the roof of the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, the LA waterfront live camera has replaced the port’s older web camera with an upgraded 4K camera that streams in high resolution and shares panoramic views from the center of the port’s Main Channel. The northern view shows City of Los Angeles Fire Department Station 112, the USS Iowa, Vincent Thomas Bridge, Wilmington Clock Tower, and Everport Container Terminal. The…

$94 Million in Federal Grants Awarded to California Ports

About $94 million in U.S. Transportation Department grants to bolster infrastructure at six California ports and harbor districts were announced in late October. The grants focus on electrification, emissions reduction and port congestion. The grants go toward critical repairs, container facilities, freight rail connections and electric port equipment to modernize ports and make them more environmentally responsible. “California’s ports play a critical role in keeping our global economy moving, supporting a vibrant workforce and advancing the state’s climate goals,” said California Association of Port Authorities President Danny Wan, also the executive director of the Port of Oakland. “This investment will…

AAPA Installs New Chair, Board Members, Including Wan

The American Association of Port Authorities elected a new board chairman – Sean Strawbridge, chief executive officer of the Port of Corpus Christi —on Oct. 17 during its 111th Annual Convention and Expo in Orlando, Fla. He replaces outgoing Chairman Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach. Cordero made the formal announcement during an address to members and attendees at the event. Strawbridge has over 30 years of experience in the energy and global transportation sector. He has experience in development, capital structuring, operations and both public and private partnerships. He has headed the Port of Corpus…

All American Marine Wins Research Vessel Contract

All American Marine (AAM) announced in mid-October that it has been awarded the contract to build a research vessel for the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa and the University of Hawai'i Foundation on behalf of the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology. The research vessel, with construction already underway in AAM’s Bellingham Bay, Wash. facility, is a 68.5-foot by 25-foot semi-displacement aluminum catamaran hull that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. The vessel reportedly will contain design elements found in the recently commissioned research vessels “Blue Manta” and “Shearwater,” built for BlueTide Puerto Rico…

Port of Oakland Hosts Congressional Meeting on Supply Chain

During the first week of November, the Port of Oakland hosted a congressional supply chain stakeholder meeting designed to address constituent business and trade industry stakeholder concerns about congestion and supply chain issues at the port. The meeting was led by Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) and included Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) and Rep. John Garamendi (D-Fairfield). In addition to the Congressmembers, the forum featured federal and state government officials including Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Daniel Maffei and representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California State Transportation Agency and…

From the Editor: A Word About Upcoming Changes

Hello, I wanted to take a moment to let you know about some upcoming changes coming to the print and online editions of Pacific Maritime. First, the big news is that PacMar is switching to a bimonthly printing schedule in 2023. This means that the next issue of the magazine will be cover dated January/February, rather than just January. The plan is to publish six issues in 2023—one every other month—plus an annual in late summer/early fall that focuses on port facilities, repair facilities, shipyards, intermodal yards and related maritime entities. The reduction in the number of issues was driven…

Port of Oakland Extends Renewable Energy Purchase Contract

At its Oct. 13 meeting, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners approved extending a contract to purchase renewable electricity from the East Bay Municipal Utility District. The energy will come from the district’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Power Generation Station. The port has been buying the electricity for 10 years under a power purchase agreement with the utility. This latest agreement extends the port’s access to the district’s renewable energy for an additional 2.5 years. “This helps us to exceed regulatory requirements for renewable sources of electricity for our current and future needs,” Port of Oakland Utilities Administration Manager Jared Carpenter…

Five Washington State Ports Receive $71.5 Million in Federal Grants

A total of $71,488,445 in federal grants have been awarded to five Washington state ports, with the grants offered through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD). The five recipients are the Port of Grays Harbor, Northwest Seaport Alliance Port of Seattle, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Port of Olympia and the Port of Port Angeles. The Port of Seattle will receive a $17,035,900 federal grant for an ongoing expansion and emissions reduction project. “Terminal 5 expansion is central to our strategy to reduce port congestion, strengthen the supply chain, and create more good-paying maritime jobs in Seattle,” Sen. Maria…