Port of Seattle Completes Bridge Joining Terminals 25, 30

The Port of Seattle recently completed two important projects that immediately increase the Port's capacity to handle international cargo more efficiently.

The Port completed construction of a new concrete bridge between Terminals 25 and 30. With the bridge, the area can now be used as one contiguous 70-acre container terminal. The T-30 portion of the combined terminal facility, which has been leased by Stevedoring Services of America, will be completed and ready for use in 2009. Terminal 25 is currently used by Matson Navigation. In order to improve shoreline habitat near the terminal, specific lighting was installed for the fish habitat surrounding the facility.

Improvements at the Port's Terminal 18 facility also reached a significant milestone. In September, the second of three project phases was completed. In this phase, the waterside dock apron was considerably strengthened and now is able to support additional 100-foot gauge crane rails. Such rails are necessary for super post-Panamax cranes: cranes able to span new container ships that are 22-containers wide.

"Over the past twelve years, the Port of Seattle has invested over $1 billion in our container handling facilities," said Charles Sheldon, Managing Director, Seaport Division. "Container volume is projected to grow considerably, and the Port of Seattle is committed to remaining competitive in a very tight market. We have the staff and expertise in place and are building facilities capable of moving 4 million TEU's (twenty-foot equivalent units) each year."

When construction on Terminal 18 is complete, the facility will have four active container berths. Completion is scheduled for September of 2008.