BNSF Railway Co. and managing members of the Northwest Seaport Alliance in July agreed to a 16-acre lease that would allow the rail company to create and run a domestic intermodal facility at Lot M in the Tacoma Harbor. The new facility is expected to bolster cargo movement between the NWSA and inland U.S. markets, giving NWSA the business advantage of being served by two mainline railroads for domestic container movement. “Growing the NWSA’s domestic intermodal volumes has long been a goal for the Seattle and Tacoma gateway,” NWSA Co-Chair and Port of Tacoma Commissioner President Don Meyer stated. “The new facility will increase job opportunities while reducing truck emissions associated with moving cargo to inland markets.” For BNSF, which has a domestic intermodal facility in Tukwila for the Seattle…
Long Beach Harbor Commission member Sharon L. Weissman has been chosen by her fellow members for a one-year stint as board president. Weissman, who was first appointed to the commission in 2020, was elected for a one-year term as president on July 25, succeeding Steven Neal. Additionally, Bobby Olvera Jr. has been elected the board’s vice president and Bonnie Lowenthal as board secretary, also for one-year terms. The new officers’ terms begin Aug. 8. “I am honored by the trust my colleagues on the board have placed in me,” Weissman said. “In collaboration with my fellow commissioners, Executive Director Mario Cordero, and staff, I look forward to navigating our way through the challenges of the supply chain, supporting the necessary infrastructure that will keep the port competitive, and building upon…
The Port of Grays Harbor’s biggest marine terminal customer, Nebraska-based U.S. soybean processor/refiner AGP, is making expansion plans for its Washington Coast facility, the port revealed in late March. AGP’s Board of Directors recently approved plans to expand and enhance its facilities at the port, including more storage at its current export facility at Terminal 2 and a new, modern ship loader at Terminal 4. “The port’s strategic location and access to rail have once again presented us with an incredible opportunity with a committed, strong private partner willing to further invest in our community,” POGH Executive Director Gary Nelson said. “We are committed to developing the infrastructure to support AGP’s growth and look forward to working with our local, tribal, state, and federal partners to make this happen.” “We…
Los Angeles Assistant City Attorney Steve Otera has been tapped as general counsel to the Los Angeles Harbor Department, leading the legal team that advises on operations at the Port of Los Angeles and provides counsel to the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. Otera, who takes over the role after Janna Sidley retired earlier this year, is a familiar face at the Harbor Department, where he worked for almost 20 years. In his assistant city attorney role, Otera led the in-house legal staff at the port, counseled on container terminal leasing, land use, contracts and other matters. Before coming to the L.A. City Attorney’s Office, Otera worked in private practice for more than 10 years, including his time as director of legal compliance and education at LRN (previously Legal Research Network).…
Longtime Grays Harbor, Wash.-area labor leader Max Vekich is the newest member of the Federal Maritime Commission. Vekich, nominated by President Joe Biden in June, was sworn in on Feb. 15 for a commission term that expires June 30, 2026. Port of Grays Harbor Commission President Tom Quigg congratulated Vekich on his appointment to the five-member commission. “Having someone at the table that understands the role that small and large ports play in trade will be valuable,” Quigg said. “International trade is the cornerstone of our mission at the port, and we have no doubt that Max’s leadership and decades of experience will be an asset to the port and maritime industry in his new role.” Vekich brings more than 40 years of maritime experience. He joined the International Longshore…
In support of its clean air initiatives, the Port of San Diego has purchased two all-electric Konecranes Gottwald Generation 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes to replace a diesel-powered crane currently in use at the POSD’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, the port revealed in late February. San Diego has said that the all-electric, battery-supported mobile harbor cranes will be the first in use in North America and would support its Maritime Clean Air Strategy and its “Health Equity for All” vision while also increasing the terminal’s productivity and cargo business opportunities. The port has said that it anticipates receiving and putting the cranes into operation in mid-2023. In January, San Diego’s Board of Port Commissioners authorized a purchase agreement with Germany-based machinery builder and service company Konecranes, which has an office in…
The Port of Grays Harbor’s biggest marine terminal customer, Nebraska-based U.S. soybean processor/refiner AGP, is making expansion plans for its Washington Coast facility. AGP’s Board of Directors recently approved plans to expand and enhance its facilities at the port, including more storage at its current export facility at Terminal 2 and a new, modern ship loader at Terminal 4. “We look forward to continuing and expanding our relationship (with the port) as we move forward with this project,” said AGP Board Chairman Lowell Wilson. “The project approved by the AGP Board will greatly increase railcar unloading speed, ship loading capacities, and add redundancy.” This expansion means the port will need to broaden rail capabilities within the terminal complex to deal with added volume and curb traffic issues. The port plans…
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 Portwide Transportation Master Plan, which led to various projects such as the I-110/SR-47 Connector and John S. Gibson Ramps Improvements and South Wilmington Grade Separation. Additionally, she managed the team…
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 version of the plan on April 12. Stakeholders have until the end of the day on April 6 to provide feedback, which can be submitted using an online form on…
More than $8 million will go toward maintaining the Maui and Molokai harbors, thanks to federal funding given to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Hawai‘i as part of Congress’ Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act, signed into law in 2021. About $4.6 million will be set aside for the Kahului Deep Draft Harbor, Maui’s only commercial port on the island’s northern coast. Meanwhile, $3.5 million will be used for the Kaunakakai Deep Draft Harbor on the south central coast of Molokai. Such projects help the Army Corps maintain and run the harbors. “As an island state, our harbors and ports keep our state connected and our local economy moving,” said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This new funding will help…
