Port of Seattle, Carnival Corp. Reach 10-Year Berthing Agreement

Port of Seattle, Carnival Corp. Reach 10-Year Berthing Agreement

For at least the next decade, Carnival cruise ships are expected to continue to call Seattle its homeport for cruises to Alaska. Port of Seattle commissioners on June 25 approved a decade-long “preferential berthing agreement” through 2033 with Carnival Corporation, whose brands encompass the Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Cunard brands. “This long-term agreement provides economic certainty for the port and local businesses who depend upon cruise, while also strengthening our partnership,” port Executive Director Steve Metruck said. The agreement also includes a five-year optional extension and builds on sustainability efforts at the port and by…
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NW Seaport Alliance Launches Cargo, Service Incentive Program

NW Seaport Alliance Launches Cargo, Service Incentive Program

The Northwest Seaport Alliance has launched an incentive program that officials say could help increase rail cargo and enhance service delivery in the Seattle-Tacoma gateway. About $11 million has been committed to the incentives, which took effect May 1 and includes the Voyage Consistency and On-Time Arrival Award Program, the International Container Rail Cargo Incentive and the Gate Operations Incentive. Under the Voyage Consistency and On-Time Arrival Award Program, ocean carriers are rewarded for keeping the most reliable voyage schedules, with top performers qualifying for $200,000 to $500,000 in rewards. With the International Container Rail Cargo Incentive, the Seaport Alliance…
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Longtime Seattle Shipyard Manager Doug Dixon Dies

Longtime Seattle Shipyard Manager Doug Dixon Dies

Longtime maritime industry figure Douglas Dixon, who was the former general manager and director of Pacific Fishermen Shipyard in Seattle, has died. Dixon died last week after a short battle with cancer, his friend Bill Forslund told Maritime Publishing May 4. “Unfortunately my friend Doug headed to the hospital in late March with an unknown malady and was quickly diagnosed with cancer that had spread pretty much all over his body,” Forslund said. Another friend, Nathaniel Howe, said that during his lifetime, Dixon was an “unrelenting advocate for the marine trades, both in Pacific Fishermen Shipyard and in youth outreach…
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SSA Terminals, NWSA Complete 2nd Phase of Terminal 5 Modernization

SSA Terminals, NWSA Complete 2nd Phase of Terminal 5 Modernization

The second phase of the Terminal 5 Modernization Program, a key expansion project for trade in the Seattle harbor, is now complete, the Northwest Seaport Alliance said March 29. In a statement, the Seaport Alliance and SSA Terminals lauded the modernization project, which includes 185 acres of capacity for cargo and shore power capability at two berths. The newly upgraded Terminal 5 features two reconfigured berths with six modern super-post Panamax cranes. On-dock rail facilities, with more refrigerated plug-ins, support agricultural exporters and lower truck traffic near the terminal, NWSA said. “The opening of Phase 2 of Terminal 5 marks…
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Auto, Breakbulk Cargo Service Launches at Seattle’s Terminal 46

Auto, Breakbulk Cargo Service Launches at Seattle’s Terminal 46

Regular auto and breakbulk cargo service at Terminal 46 in the Seattle harbor officially began March 27 with the arrival of the vehicle carrier Triumph Ace. For the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Terminal 46 is a key location for cargo, offering more than 42 acres of laydown space in the Seattle harbor for cargo shippers. Terminal operator Pacific Terminal Services Co. and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 19 are the processors of cargo at the terminal. Port of Seattle Commission President and NWSA Co-Chair Hamdi Mohamed said the alliance is excited to open Terminal 46 for regular service. We appreciate…
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Soft Demand, Labor Talks Affect NWSA Cargo Numbers

Soft Demand, Labor Talks Affect NWSA Cargo Numbers

The Northwest Seaport Alliance, consisting of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, saw its March cargo volumes tumble 24.6% year over year, from 901,234 TEUs in March 2022 to 679,820 TEUs last month, according to new data released April 17. Loaded imports fell 37.2% in March, which the alliance said is a result of soft consumer demand and shippers’ uncertainty over contract talks between West Coast dockworkers and their employers. In the months leading up to contract talks between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union, shippers have been diverting their cargo to East and Gulf…
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Coast Guard Seeks Comment on Navigation for Portage Bay Bridge

Coast Guard Seeks Comment on Navigation for Portage Bay Bridge

The U.S. Coast Guard is asking the public, and mariners in particular, to weigh in on navigation at Portage Bay Bridge in Seattle. The agency has issued a public notice for Washington Department of Transportation’s request to replace the bridge near Lake Union and is looking for vessel and facility owners and operators and others in the maritime community to discuss navigation needs that the proposed bridge project should meet. “This includes but is not limited to mariners' requirements for horizontal and vertical navigation clearances, placement of bridge protective systems, bridge lighting systems and various other safety measures,” the agency…
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USCG To Enforce Safety, Security Measures During Seattle Seafair

USCG To Enforce Safety, Security Measures During Seattle Seafair

This weekend, U.S. Coast Guard members plan to implement various safety and security zones on Lake Washington for upcoming Seattle Seafair activities on Aug. 5-7. Coast Guard crew members plan to partner with state and local agencies to bolster safety patrols on Lake Washington and implement a Special Local Regulation for the Unlimited Hydroplane Race on Lake Washington from 8 a.m. on Friday until midnight on Sunday. The USCG said it also plans to enforce the Seafair Air Show Performance Safety Zone Regulation on Lake Washington from 8 a.m. on Friday until 4 p.m. on Sunday. These zones will be…
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