January-February 2024 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Port of Olympia Launches Research Vessel to Address Legacy Pollution

The Port of Olympia in January embarked on a significant environmental initiative with the launch of a research vessel in Budd Inlet. As required by the Department of Ecology, the primary focus of the venture is to investigate and address harmful legacy pollutants, including dioxins and furans, in the Inlet’s sediment. Between January and March, the research vessel, equipped with high-tech technology and a team of experts will, according to the port, “meticulously sample the sediment for later laboratory analysis to identify the extent of the pollutants and develop a comprehensive plan for their removal.” The proactive approach, the port…

Glosten, Siemens Choose Vendors for Hydrogen-Hybrid Research Vessel Design

Seattle-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten and Siemens Energy announced Nov. 14 that they’ve chosen Ballard Power Systems and Chart Industries as the primary equipment vendors for their design of what could be the world’s first hydrogen-hybrid research vessel. The vessel, known as the CCRV, is currently in the design phase and is set to be owned and operated by the University of California, San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. British Columbia-based Ballard Power Systems is providing the fuel cells which will help power the vessel, and Georgia-headquartered Chart Industries is providing the cryogenic tank and fuel gas…

LA, Long Beach Ports Make $60 Million Available for Zero-Emission Trucks

The Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles have made $60 million in Clean Truck Fund Rate funding available through their California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) for vouchers toward the purchase of zero-emission, Class 8 drayage trucks that operate at the San Pedro Bay ports complex. The funds became available to applicants beginning Nov. 14 at californiahvip.org. Each port is providing $30 million through the Clean Truck Fund (CTF) Rate, which collects $10 per TEU from cargo owners on loaded containers entering and exiting the port complex. The CTF Rate is a component…

Maritime Administration Announces More Than $653 Million in Port Funding

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) on Nov. 3 announced over $653 million to fund 41 port improvement projects across the nation under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the funding is expected to help grow capacity and increase efficiency at coastal seaports as well as Great Lakes and inland river ports. A significant portion of domestic and international U.S. commerce by weight—over 2.3 billion short tons —moves by water. The port improvement projects announced are expected to strengthen supply chain reliability, create workforce development opportunities, speed up the…

Oakland, Yokohama Ports Commit to Green Shipping Corridor

The Port of Oakland and the Port of Yokohama in Japan have signed a Green Shipping Corridor Memorandum of Understanding that allows both seaports to further their efforts to decarbonize the trade route between them, the Northern California port announced Oct. 20. Both ports are expected to discuss ways to lower emissions through the development of low carbon and zero-emissions cargo handling equipment and vehicles, as well as fuel alternatives. The ports have a history of partnership that dates back to May 1980, when they first became sister ports. Oakland is a major gateway for Asia, especially Japan, the final…

Port of Grays Harbor Approves New Lease, Completes Haul Road Erosion Project

Ample warehouse space and easy highway access have attracted another customer to the Port of Grays Harbor Commission’s Satsop Business Park. On Nov. 2, the Port of Grays Harbor announced that its Port Commission has approved a lease for a warehouse and surrounding land at 37 Tower Boulevard, with the Chehalis Tribe’s Talking Cedar, the first tribal-owned distillery in the U.S. Talking Cedar said that it plans to store supplies and consumables related to the production of distilled spirits at the warehouse. The Commission also approved an option for the 17,500 square-foot warehouse 17 in West Park, to be exercised…

Working Waterfront Preservation Act Introduced in Senate

Federal legislation that would provide $20 million annually to boost and protect working waterfronts has been introduced in the U.S. Senate. The Working Waterfront Preservation Act was introduced Nov. 13 by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine and Jack Reed, D-RI. If approved by Congress, the measure would provide $20 million annually for the program through fiscal year 2028. Eligible entities include commercial fishing cooperatives, working waterfront owners and operators, non-profit organizations and municipal and state governments. The bipartisan bill would help preserve access for America’s fishermen and maritime workers to the waterfronts in coastal communities, supporting the commercial fishing, aquaculture, boatbuilding…

Printing Spare Parts

Could 3D printing spare parts soon become commonplace in the maritime shipping industry? There’s a very interesting story recently published by Forbes magazine that indicates that it might be. According to the article, marine industry supply chain and distribution company Thyssenkrupp Materials Services has “invested substantially” in 3D printing technology and has been using it to manufacture critical spare parts faster and cheaper than traditional manufacturing. The company has even dropped 3D-printed parts onto a vessel from a drone, the article states. A huge leap forward when it comes to 3D printing for the maritime industry came in October, when…

Murkowski Again Pushes for Senate to Ratify UNCLOS

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, is renewing her effort to win U.S. Senate passage of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which has long since been ratified by 168 nations and the European Union. On Nov. 16, Murkowski, co-chair of the Arctic Caucus, introduced a resolution calling on the Senate to ratify UNCLOS. The document details the rights and responsibilities of countries regarding the oceans, including guidelines for businesses and the management of marine natural resources. It also provides a legal framework to protect those rights while avoiding conflict. The resolution was previously introduced by Murkowski…

Wärtsilä to Provide Zero Emissions Services for WETA Ferries

Technology group Wärtsilä said Nov. 28 that it has signed an agreement to provide its fleet electrification and systems integrator services for a project to build the first zero-emission high speed ferries in the U.S. The fully electric vessels are being built for San Francisco’s Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), the operator of the San Francisco Bay Ferry system. Wärtsilä has said that the project, and several others that it will work on under the partnership, are a part of the agency’s Rapid Electric Emission-Free (REEF) Ferry Program, a phased decarbonization of high-speed, high-capacity ferry service in the San Francisco…