Over the past eight or nine months we’ve made some changes at the Port of Seattle that will help us focus more intently on our cargo business. Seattle’s maritime economy is one of the most diverse in the nation. We have a flourishing container trade, vibrant cruise business, bulk cargoes, a strong fishing industry, a healthy recreational boating sector and a variety of industrial and commercial properties associated with each of those lines of business.
Late last year the Port announced the creation of a new Real Estate Division. Joe McWilliams recently joined the Port as Managing Director of that Division (see the item below on Joe). He’ll have overall responsibility for a wide range of Port properties formerly in the portfolios of the Airport and Seaport Divisions, including all of the Port’s recreational marinas, Fishermen’s Terminal and many commercial properties.
The container business, as well as the industrial properties supporting that business, will stay in the Seaport along with the cruise business and the factory trawler fleet homeported at Terminal 91. Basically, the Seaport Division will focus on big boats and ships and the properties that support their activities.
This intensified focus will be important over the next few years because the Port of Seattle is in a dogfight for container volumes and our customers, tenants and partners are in the fight with us.
A weak dollar combined with a U.S. economy that is in or approaching recession, means imports are down. At the same time, competition from ports in Canada and Mexico, as well as plans to widen the locks of the Panama Canal, present long-term challenges. We expect volumes in Seattle to be flat for the next year or two, but there are positive signs on the horizon - or at least opportunities to make lemonade out of lemons.
High fuel prices will help keep us competitive with the all-water routes serving the East Coast via the Panama Canal. Plus we have ample cargo capacity at our terminals and with the re-opening of Terminal 30 as a container handling facility in 2009 we’ll add new capacity.
But not all of the threats we face are from competitors outside our region. The idea of a box tax raised it head in the legislative session in Olympia again this year. A couple of years ago a study by a consultant concluded that a fee of $30 per TEU could drive away up to 30 percent of the Puget Sound gateway’s container volume. The Port and its partners have to work to ensure that our competitive edge isn’t dulled by legislation that would drive away cargo. Working together, we can maintain and grow our gateway.
New Port Staff
Seattle real estate veteran Joe McWilliams joined the Port of Seattle in February as Managing Director, Real Estate and Property Management. With more than 15 years of experience in the Seattle market, McWilliams has served in leadership positions at Cushman and Wakefield, Wright Runstad and Company and the Seattle Monorail Project. He most recently served as Southwest Regional Manager for PHAROS Corporation, a commercial real estate firm based in Austin, Texas.
Customs and Border Protection
The Seattle transportation community met Customs and Border Protection’s new local leaders during a February 27 reception hosted by the Port of Seattle.
Michele James, Director of Field Operations, Seattle Field Office, was appointed in October, 2007. James manages an operating budget approaching $23 million and directs the activities of more than 1,620 employees. She oversees programs and operations over a five state area that includes 67 ports of entry. Previously she served as Port Director in Atlanta, Georgia, and worked at CBP port operations in Champlain, NY, Massena, NY, Dulles International Airport and at agency headquarters as a program manager. She is a graduate of Central Washington University and the Kennedy School of Government Executive Fellowship Program, Harvard University.
Roland Suliveras, Area Port Director, directs the administration of laws and regulations relating to the inspection and clearance of carriers, baggage, persons and cargo arriving at the Port. Previously, Suliveras served as Director of Targeting and Analysis and was responsible for the design, implementation and operation of automated targeting processes and systems. He has served a wide range of functions in CBP offices in Tampa and various other Ports. He is a graduate of Northeastern University.
U.S. Maritime Administration
The U.S. Maritime Administration has named Randy Rogers to head its new Seattle Gateway Office. Rogers will work with regional industry and government representatives to identify federal and state funding to reduce congestion, improve freight and passenger movement, and meet environmental and community challenges in the ports and their intermodal connections.
Prior to this assignment, Rogers established the agency's prototype Gateway Office in Southern California where he addressed the challenges associated with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
Breakbulk Breakthrough
Pacific Terminals partners with Eagle Marine and Westwood to bring Port Townsend Paper shipments to Seattle’s Harbor
Pat Cohn was on edge. It was the day before implementation of an innovative solution to a container shortage affecting harbors up and down the West Coast and the general manager of Pacific Terminals was nervous about the double hand-off required to make the plan a success.
Read the rest of the story here.
If you'd like your company to be featured in the future, please contact Mick Shultz.
Temporary Overnight Storage for Drayage Trucks
The Port has designated the former Lockheed shipyard site (Terminal 10) on Harbor Island as a temporary overnight truck storage site for drayage trucks.
Located on the west side of Harbor Island, the 10-acre site is accessed from 16th Avenue SW. After storm drainage is installed and environmental improvements are made the site will provide overnight storage for up to 250 truck tractors. The facility could be ready as early as spring 2009.
The Port’s objective is to reduce the number of trucks that park overnight in residential neighborhoods in South Park and Georgetown.
Alaskan Way Viaduct South End
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) expects to begin utility relocations on Colorado Ave. So. – the access route to North Seattle International Gateway (SIG) rail yard – in late summer or early fall. Port staff has worked with the project team to ensure that port trucks will continue to move between port terminals, the rail yard, and the freeways during construction. South End design is continuing with construction slated for next summer or fall.
SR-519 Phase 2
The SR-519 Phase 2 project, which will provide west-bound grade separation for freight moving on the freeways to Terminal 46, is scheduled for completion in 2012. The Port of Seattle is a funder of this project. To expedite completion, WSDOT will use a design-build approach and expects to award a contract late this summer. Port staff will continue to monitor and comment on design and construction management.
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Enrollment
TWIC enrollment is currently underway, with implementation planned for September 25, 2008. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recommends pre-enrollment on their secure Web site. With pre-enrollment, participants schedule an appointment to complete the enrollment process at the center. Visit TSA’s site for more information and a list of valid documents required.
| Cargo |
YTD February 2008 |
Change |
| Total TEUs |
286,095 |
-4.9% |
| International TEUs |
234,425 |
-7.4% |
| Domestic TEUs |
51,671 |
+8.6% |
| Grain Metric Tons |
1,079,840 |
-1.9% |
| Petroleum |
158,966 |
+41.1% |
| Molasses |
9,106 |
+98.2% |
Regional Clean Air Strategy
In January the Port of Seattle Commission adopted the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a joint effort with the Port of Tacoma and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to reduce seaport related air emissions. The Strategy, initially released in May of last year, is the culmination of input from the three ports, major stakeholders, environmental groups and citizens throughout the region. Port Commissioners also authorized a resolution that aligns Seattle’s Seaport environmental goals with those of the Port of Tacoma.
The overall goal of the Strategy is to reduce diesel and greenhouse gas emissions by achieving early reductions in advance of, and complementary to, applicable regulations. It builds on strategies already implemented, and establishes short- and long-term performance measures for reducing emissions from cargo-handling equipment, rail, harbor craft, ocean-going vessels, and trucks.
The Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy marks the first such international cooperative effort in the maritime industry.
Terminal Response
Four of the Port’s container terminals have installed diesel oxidation catalysts on much of their yard equipment and are using ultra-low sulfur diesel or biodiesel blends.
SSA Terminals has taken delivery of 30 pieces of Cargo Handling Equipment equipped with 2007 on-road engines with advanced pollution control equipment. Eagle Marine Services has seven new pieces of Cargo Handling Equipment on order with 2007 on-road engines. EPA standards for 2007 model year on-road engines are dramatically higher than the past. Eagle Marine Services is successfully using B20 fuel (no gelling) in Cargo Handling Equipment. Marine Terminals Corporation at Terminal 46 is piloting the use of emulsified fuels in Cargo Handling Equipment.
Over the past several months, the Port of Seattle has taken steps to address results of the Washington State Auditor’s Office performance audit of the Port’s capital program. Released in December 2007, the audit identified 51 areas where the capital program management should be improved.
The new initiatives are intended to reinforce the Port’s commitment of accountability to the public and fiscal responsibility in its use of public funds. Many of the action items are complete and others have deadlines this spring. The Port is committed to making these changes as soon as possible and invites the public to check back often to track our progress.
Sporting and Special Events
Mariner Baseball at Safeco Field
Stadium Exhibition Center Events
(206) 381-7555
Other Port Events
Check the Port of Seattle Events page for a listing of upcoming events.
Audio recordings and Live streaming video of Commission meetings are available on the Port’s Web site, along with news releases of key actions and agendas for upcoming meetings. You can watch recorded Commission meetings Sundays at 1 p.m. on King County TV (Digital Cable 22).
