May-June 2023 – Pacific Maritime Magazine

Port of Bellingham Purchases Six-Acre Complex

The Port of Bellingham said in late February that it has purchased about six acres, including six buildings with about 71,000 square feet of office and industrial space, to support continued industrial growth. The port’s new industrial complex is on Marina Drive, less than a mile from port-owned land and buildings near Squalicum Harbor. The six industrial buildings and office space were built between 1925 and 2008. The property is close to Squalicum Harbor, Interstate 5 and is 2.4 miles from Bellingham International Airport. “There is strong demand for port-owned land and industrial space,” Port Commission President Michael Shepard stated.…

USCG Cutter Kimball Completes Training Exercises with Japan Coast Guard

The Honolulu-homeported U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball has left Kagoshima, Japan after participating in a days-long joint training session with the Japan Coast Guard, U.S. officials said Feb. 16. Members from both agencies engaged in several search-and-rescue exercises and other activities in Kagoshima Bay, including “collaborative mission planning, boat handling and helicopter operations and demonstrated techniques for locating, recovering and hoisting a simulated distressed swimmer.” The U.S. Coast Guard command also visited the Japan Coast Guard’s 10th Regional Headquarters and gave tours of the cutter to several Japan Coast Guard members and the community. The events are meant to nurture…

MARAD Makes Available More Than $12 Million in U.S. Marine Highway Funding

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) in early March announced that $12.4 million was being made available in fiscal year 2023 funds through the United States Marine Highway Program (USMHP), previously known as America’s Marine Highway Program. The Marine Highway Program seeks to increase the use of America’s navigable waterways, particularly where water-based transport is the most efficient, effective and sustainable option. It aims to help create maritime jobs, strengthen the nation’s supply chains, reduce emissions and lower maintenance costs. It does not, however, directly operate marine highway services. Instead, it promotes their use, efficiency and public benefits.…

Coast Guard Cutter Munro Arrives in Juneau

The Coast Guard cutter Munro arrived in Juneau, Alaska, for a scheduled port visit on Feb. 27. The port call marks Munro’s final stop before returning to its homeport in Alameda, Calif., following 11,500 miles and 105 days away. During the patrol, Munro served as the primary search and rescue (SAR) asset in the Bering Sea, performing 452 flight evolutions with five separate aircraft from Air Station Kodiak, qualifying seven pilots and ensuring SAR readiness. Munro also partnered with the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement to conduct 24 boardings of commercial fishing vessels with the goal of enforcing sustainable fishing…

Coast Guard Cutter Juniper Returns to Honolulu After 43-Day Patrol

The Coast Guard cutter Juniper returned to its Honolulu homeport in late February following a mission in the Pacific to deter illegal fishing, among other goals, as part of Operation Blue Pacific. Blue Pacific is an overarching multi-mission Coast Guard endeavor, promoting security, safety, sovereignty and economic prosperity in Oceania while strengthening relationships between partner nations in the Pacific. The Juniper departed Honolulu in mid-January and covered about 8,200 nautical miles in the effort to assist Pacific Island partners in protecting maritime governance and international order. “Combining efforts to deter illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing throughout Oceania is more important…

Mariner Credentials Lost in the Mail? Here’s How to Lower Risks, NMC Says

It could take as many as 21 days for mariners to receive their completed credentials through the mail from the National Maritime Center, and without being able to track them, credentials could be lost or returned. In a March 20 announcement, the National Maritime Center reminded mariners of ways to lower the risk of lost credentials. One is to check the mariner’s address for accuracy and legibility. If the address changes after submitting the application, call the Customer Service Center at 1-888-IASKNMC (427-5662) as soon as possible. Another is to look into expedited mailing options. E-mailing one’s application is preferable,…

Port of Prince Rupert Export Logistics Project Moves Forward

The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) said in early March that its Ridley Island Export Logistics Project (RIELP) has reached a significant milestone: receipt of its final determination of the federal environmental effects evaluation review. “Federal authorities have determined … that the Ridley Island Export Logistics Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects,” the port said in a March 2 statement. “This concludes the federal environmental review process, which is a prerequisite for the federal authorities to consider the required authorizations for the project to proceed.” The export logistics complex, which is planned for the southern end…

FMC Checking for Compliance with Per Diem Charges Ruling

The Federal Maritime Commission announced in late March that it was “actively seeking information” to confirm that ocean carriers and marine terminal operators are complying with the law following a decision it issued addressing when per diem detention charges can be billed. In its decision issued last December regarding “TCW Inc. v. Evergreen Shipping Agency Corp. & Evergreen Line Joint Service Agreement,” the Commission stated that the charging of per-diem when a port was closed, and equipment could not be returned, was unjust and unreasonable. In the recent TCW v. Evergreen case, the Commission ordered Evergreen to “cease and desist…

Labor Negotiations Impacting Traffic at West Coast Ports

The months-long contract negotiations between leaders at Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union appear to be strained, and that’s affecting business at the biggest and busiest port complex in North America. Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement began in May, 2022 between PMA, which represents 70 ocean carriers and terminal operators at 29 West Coast ports and the ILWU, which has tens of thousands of members at over 60 local unions in California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii. The contract covers more than 22,000 dockworkers. The two sides issued a joint press release on Feb.…

Newsmakers

Crowley Names New Wind Services, Government Relations VPs In late March, Maritime and logistics company Crowley appointed Mark Coplen to the role of vice president of project management for Crowley Wind Services, where he’s expected to help advance the company’s growth and market leadership in the offshore wind industry. In his role, Coplen is being tasked with expanding Crowley Wind’s project management capabilities to support customers in its offering of engineering, procurement and construction management for the offshore wind market. He previously served as president of Ventolines, an offshore wind consulting company, and as vice president of AdBm Technologies, a…