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April, 2009

NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, April 30, 2009

Port of Seattle hands out
Sea-Tac Fly Quiet Awards

SEATTLE — A new airline and a veteran winner of the program have been honored by the Port of Seattle Commission as winners of the 2009 Fly Quiet Awards for their efforts in 2008 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Virgin America, who began service at Sea-Tac just over one year ago, was named the Quietest Passenger Airline, while Federal Express won as Quietest Cargo Airline, their fourth award in the five years of the program. Air Canada Jazz was also recognized as honorable mention in the passenger category, the first time award for the airline. The Fly Quiet incentive program was designed to honor airline companies that work to reduce the impacts of jet noise on the region. Evaluations include measuring each airline on its compliance with noise abatement flight paths, overall noise level of its operations and compliance for testing engines on the ground. The annual awards were established by port staff and a citizen advisory committee to increase airline and pilot awareness to benefit local communities. Both Virgin America and Air Canada Jazz scored well due to their jets following noise abatement flight paths and through operation of quieter aircraft; Virgin America with its Airbus 319/320 fleet and Air Canada Jazz with its fleet of Bombardier CRJ's (Canadian Regional Jets). Federal Express scored the highest in noise abatement procedures and had no engine run-up violations.


Port Metro Vancouver
releases trucker strike info

VANCOUVER, BC — Port Metro Vancouver reports that a Journal of Commerce article published on April 27th indicated that a possible trucking strike by CAW Local 2006 members affecting Port Metro Vancouver could occur as early as Monday, May 4. The port says the following will clarify the situation: Port Metro Vancouver is open for business, and will remain so. Truck operators serving the port have individual permit agreements with Port Metro Vancouver. These agreements allow operators to access the port's container terminals. A limited number of CAW truck operators and owner/operators have voted to potentially go on strike. They have an outstanding issue with three out of 196 local licence holding trucking companies doing business with Port Metro Vancouver. If owner/operators strike Port Metro Vancouver property, they will be in non-compliance with the port's Truck Licensing System and the port will cancel their Permits. Truck operators and owner/operators represented by CAW Local 2006 may strike their employer. Should picketing occur, it would be at their place of work, not port facilities.


Federal Maritime Commissioner
announces plans to step down

WASHINGTON, DC — Federal Maritime Commissioner Harold J. Creel, Jr. has announced that he will be leaving the agency at the end of his term on June 30, 2009. Commissioner Creel was first nominated by President Clinton in 1994, and was re-nominated by President Clinton and President Bush. He served as chairman from 1996 to 2002 and was the longest tenured Chairman in the agency's history. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Federal Maritime Commission and working with my esteemed colleagues and staff," Commissioner Creel said. "I know that I leave the agency in good hands to carry out the important mission of the Federal Maritime Commission. I look forward to pursuing new challenges, including those in the maritime sector. " Commissioner Creel will be joining the government relations firm of Alcalde & Fay in Arlington, VA.


Hamburg Sud joins Grand Alliance
as Atlantic Express Service member

TOKYO — Grand Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), together with ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, report they will cooperate with Hamburg Sud on the Atlantic Express Service (ATX). The ATX service is currently operated by the Grand Alliance and ZIM. Port rotation will remain the same – Rotterdam, Hamburg, Le Havre, Southampton, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Rotterdam. Initially chartering slots, Hamburg Süd may provide a vessel to the service at a later stage. The agreement is still subject to FMC approval which is expected to be received by mid-June. The cooperation is aimed at addressing the declining volume in the Transatlantic.


Coast Guard warns boaters
to follow rules when approaching LPVs

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard is reminding mariners and recreational boaters to avoid approaching large passenger vessels (LPV), such as cruise ships and Washington State Ferries, whether these vessels are underway, moored or at anchor. An LPV is defined as any cruise ship, auto ferry or passenger ferry over 100 feet in length, carrying paying passengers. This includes Washington State Ferries and Alaskan Marine Highway ferries. The security zone enforced by the Coast Guard is a 500 yard radius around all LPV's and are necessary to enhance public and maritime safety. These security and safety zones are in effect at all times whether or not the Coast Guard is present. Specifically the Code of Federal Regulations states that: When within a large passenger vessel security and safety zone all vessels must operate at the minimum speed necessary to maintain a safe course and must proceed as directed by the on-scene official patrol or large passenger vessel master. No vessel or person is allowed within 100 yards of a large passenger vessel that is underway or at anchor, unless authorized by the on-scene official patrol or large passenger vessel master. No vessel or person is allowed within 100 yards of a large passenger vessel that is moored. To request authorization to operate within 100 yards of a large passenger vessel that is underway or at anchor, contact the on-scene official patrol or large passenger vessel master on VHF-FM channel 16 or 13.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Coast Guard makes decision
on Oregon LNG facilities

PORTLAND — The Coast Guard reports it has completed its actions as a Cooperating Agency to the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC,) who are responsible for authorizing the siting, construction and operation of onshore Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) facilities. The FERC is required to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluating issues ranging from air quality and biological impacts to cultural and socioeconomic impacts as well as safety and security impacts. As a Cooperating Agency, the Coast Guard’s role is focused on the safety and security of the waterway. The Coast Guard received official notification from Northern Star Natural Gas LLC’s of their proposal to build an LNG terminal in Bradwood, Ore., at mile 38 on the Columbia River, in January 2005. Jordan Cove Energy Project provided their official notice to build an LNG terminal in Coos Bay, Ore., in April 2006. Oregon LNG provided their official notice to build an LNG terminal in Warrenton, Ore., at mile 8 on the Columbia River in May 2007. Since their respective filings, Coast Guard Sector Portland has worked with each applicant, port and community stakeholders and state and local emergency response providers to assess the safety and security issues associated with LNG tankers traveling on the Columbia River and in Coos Bay. Based upon this review, the Captain of the Port of Sector Portland has determined that the applicable portions of the waterways are not currently suitable but could be made suitable for the type and frequency of LNG marine traffic associated with each project. The Letter of Recommendation and related documentation is available through the Coast Guard’s Home Port web site or Sector Portland’s web page at http://www.uscg.mil/D13/portland/. Many of these documents will also be available through the FERCs E-Library at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp.


Port of Tacoma places
2008 Annual Report online

TACOMA — Reflecting a year focused on the long-term success of its customers, the Port of Tacoma has published its 2008 Annual Report. The average container volume fell 8.8 percent at U.S. West Coast ports in 2008. The Port of Tacoma, however, captured a larger share of this declining market with a container volume drop of 3.3 percent. "The global economy is forcing us all to recalibrate our business models and concentrate on the core needs of our customers," said Port of Tacoma Commission President Clare Petrich, explaining her Port's market share gain. "In good economic times, Ports require sound management. In challenging times, success requires focus at all levels of the organization." The 36-page 2008 Annual Report highlights the port's focus on customers, cost-effective operations, efficiency and reliability, supply chain choices, sustainability and community vitality. To view this publication online, click http://www.portoftacoma.com/page.aspx?cid=411. Subscriptions to all Port of Tacoma publications, including the Annual Report and the Pacific Gateway magazine, are free of charge.


Truck Tonnage Index
sees big drop during March

ARLINGTON, VA — The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index fell 4.5 percent in March, marking the first month-to-month decrease of 2009. The gains during the previous two months, which totaled 4.5 percent, were erased with March’s drop. (February’s increase was revised down to 1.5 percent.) In March, the SA tonnage index equaled just 101.4 (2000 = 100), which is its lowest level since March 2002. The fleets did report higher volumes than in February, as the not seasonally adjusted (NSA) index increased 10.2 percent, but that is well below the 15 to 20 percent range that NSA tonnage usually rises from February to March. In March, the NSA index equaled 104.7. Compared with March 2008, tonnage contracted 12.2 percent, which was the second-worst year-over-year decrease of the current cycle. In December 2008, the largest year-over-year contraction, tonnage dropped 12.5 percent from a year earlier.


Panama Canal Authority
upgrades tugboat fleet

PANAMA CITY — The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has announced that it has introduced five new tugboats to its fleet, increasing the availability of these essential vessels used to assist ships transiting the waterway. The new units, purchased from Cheoy Lee Shipyards, Ltd., have an output capacity of 4,800 horse power and a bollard pull of more than 60 metric tons. Additionally, the canal has made some operational changes that increase efficiency and streamline operations. The ACP moved the management of its shipyard to the canal’s Maritime Operations Division, led by ACP Executive Vice President of Operations Manuel Benítez. The canal has also instituted a more regular and systemized process of tug maintenance, allowing proper availability of the fleet at any given period. An additional 13 tugs, also purchased from Cheoy Lee Shipyards, Ltd, are scheduled to begin arriving in September 2010.


Puget Sound Safety Committee
looking for possible candidates

SEATTLE — The Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee is seeking candidates for its environmental representative position. The committee is composed of non-compensated representatives from most of the marine community stakeholder groups including a currently empty position for a member representing the environmental advocacy community. The environmental representative/member should be a person interested in and concerned with maritime safety and marine affairs, with experience in the maritime domain. Letters of interest should be submitted via email addressed to jeveentjer@marineexchangesea.com no later than May 25, 2009. Attach resume or otherwise describe background and reason for your interest. Questions should be directed to John E. Veentjer, Executive Director, Marine Exchange of Puget Sound, Executive Secretary to the Harbor Safety Committee, 100 W. Harrison St, Suite S-560, Seattle, WA 98119. The Executive Committee of the PSHSC may choose to do interviews of one or more final candidates for the position. The EXCOM will likely make its recommendation to the full PSHSC membership at the October 7 meeting, if not by the August 5 meeting.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, April 27, 2009

Port of Olympia wants input on
commission compensation increase

OLYMPIA — The Port of Olympia Commission is again seeking public input on a compensation increase for port commissioners that would take effect in 2012. The matter is on the advisory calendar of the port commission meeting scheduled for today, at 5:30 p.m., in the LOTT Board Room, Market Centre Building -2nd Floor, 111 Market Street NE, Olympia. The commission also heard public comment on the compensation increase at their meeting of April 13, 2009. For more information visit: http://www.portolympia.com/uploads/Commission_Compensation.pdf


Puget Sound safety board
calling for new candidates

SEATTLE — The Puget Sound Harbor Safety Committee is seeking candidates for its environmental representative position. The committee is composed of non-compensated representatives from most of the marine community stakeholder groups including a currently empty position for a member representing the environmental advocacy community. The environmental representative/member should be a person interested in and concerned with maritime safety and marine affairs, with experience in the maritime domain. Letters of interest should be submitted via email addressed to jeveentjer@marineexchangesea.com no later than May 25, 2009. Attach resume or otherwise describe background and reason for your interest. Questions should be directed to John E. Veentjer, Executive Director, Marine Exchange of Puget Sound, Executive Secretary to the Harbor Safety Committee, 100 W. Harrison St, Suite S-560, Seattle, WA 98119. The Executive Committee of the PSHSC may choose to do interviews of one or more final candidates for the position. The EXCOM will likely make its recommendation to the full PSHSC membership at the October 7 meeting, if not by the August 5 meeting.


Horizon Lines reports
first fiscal quarter numbers

CHARLOTTE, NC — Horizon Lines, Inc. has reported results for the fiscal first quarter ended March 22, 2009. On a GAAP basis, the company reported a net loss of $(10.0) million, or $(0.33) per share, on revenue of $272.4 million. The adjusted net loss totaled $(4.7) million, or $(0.15) per share, after excluding a restructuring charge and anti-trust related legal expenses. Net income for the first quarter of 2008 totaled $0.7 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, after applying required retrospective changes in accounting for the treatment of convertible debt and restricted stock share-based payment awards. Revenue for the first quarter of 2008 was $305.9 million.


Bellingham cruise terminal
earns environmental rating

BELLINGHAM — Labeling storm drains, posting clean boating signage, educating people about marine invasive species and protecting natural habitat are some of the actions that earned the Port of Bellingham's Bellingham Cruise Terminal a Five Star rating from EnviroStars. Alice Cords, who operates the Whatcom County EnviroStars program, presented the award to the Port of Bellingham. She also said that the Bellingham Cruise Terminal is now certified as a Washington Clean Marina, having adopted Clean Marina standards. Each year more than 23,000 Alaska Marine Highway passengers use the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, which also is the homeport for Victoria-San Juan Cruises and several charter boats. Cruise Terminal staff also worked with the Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center on Clean Marina boater education. The Bellingham Cruise Terminal is the third port marine facility to earn the highest EnviroStar Rating. In 2004 Blaine Marina was awarded the Five Star rating and in 2008 Squalicum Marina earned it. EnviroStars is a joint effort of the Whatcom County Health Department and the Regional EnviroStars Cooperative.


MAERSK ALABAMA crewmember
files lawsuit against employers

HOUSTON — MAERSK ALABAMA crewmember, Richard E. Hicks, is filing a lawsuit against his employer, Waterman Steamship Corporation and Maersk Line, Ltd. for knowingly sending him into pirate-infested waters near Somalia without adequate protection. Mr. Hicks was taken hostage by Somali pirates April 8 while working as chief steward preparing food for crewmembers. When Mr. Hicks heard over the loudspeaker that pirates were on board, he and other crewmembers gathered in the engine/steering room for nearly 12 hours. "The engine room was dark and hot, maybe 130 degrees," Says Mr. Hicks. "We were all cramping up with heat stroke symptoms when we were able to take a pirate hostage and tried to negotiate the return of our Captain." Pirates promised to exchange the ship's Captain for the pirate hostage but instead escaped with the Captain and their pirate crewmember. Mr. Hicks, attorney, Terry Bryant says the ship owners' knowingly exposed their employees to imminent danger and took no steps to provide appropriate levels of security and safety for its employees.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, April 24, 2009

Port of Vancouver, BC
welcomes 2009 cruise season

VANCOUVER, BC — April 24th marked the beginning of the 2009 cruise season in Vancouver, BC. The first cruise ship to call on Port Metro Vancouver this year was the Balmoral, operated by Norwegian company Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, on what is also its first visit to Vancouver. The 2009 cruise season will be a busy one for Vancouver, with 35 vessels making a total of 253 calls, bringing approximately 875,000 passengers to the city through the port’s Canada Place and Ballantyne cruise terminals. This is an increase from the 855,000 cruise passengers that came through the Port in 2008. 2009 will also mark the introduction of shore power at the Canada Place terminal. This will be the first use of shore power in Canada, and only the third installation of its type in the world. This environmentally innovative technology allows cruise ships that have been adapted for its use to completely shut down their engines and connect to shore-based electrical power while docked, saving tonnes of fuel and reducing marine diesel and greenhouse gas emissions. Shore power will be operational for the 2009 cruise season, and there will be approximately 60 vessel calls utilizing the system.


Port of Portland arms truckers
with green information book

PORTLAND — On any given weekday, nearly 800 trucks roll through the gates of the Port of Portland's Terminal 6 loaded with containers either arriving from or bound for Oregon’s international trade partners. That’s what made it the perfect location on Earth Day for the Port of Portland’s marine environmental team to equip truckers with information about emissions and air quality. Every driver who came through the gate April 21, received a copy of Cascade Sierra Solutions’ “Guide to Saving Fuel and Reducing Emissions.” The nonprofit entity offers information and assistance programs for retrofitting and upgrading older trucks and guidance for the selection of new trucks. Cascade has Oregon outreach centers in Portland and Coburg, and its overall efforts are aimed at improving fuel efficiency and reducing pollution.


Weather woes again hit
weekly rail traffic numbers

WASHINGTON, DC — Bad weather in the Upper Midwest, the slow economy and the Good Friday holiday all combined to produce another down week for U.S. rail freight traffic during the week ended April 11, the Association of American Railroads reports. U.S. railroads originated 248,391 cars during the week, down 24.5 percent from the comparison week in 2008, with loadings down 22.5 percent in the West and 27.3 percent in the East. The comparison week from last year did not include Good Friday, which is observed as a holiday on most U.S. railroads. Intermodal volume of 178,283 trailers or containers was off 21.6 percent from last year, with container volume falling 17.7 percent and trailer volume dropping 35.7 percent. Total volume was estimated at 26.4 billion ton-miles, off 23.7 percent from 2008. For the first 14 weeks of 2009, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,770,207 carloads, down 17.2 percent from 2008; 2,606,619 trailers or containers, down 15.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 400.1 billion ton-miles, down 16.1 percent.


Grand Alliance wins
top container shipper award

TOKYO — Grand Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd, MISC Berhad, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) have announced they have been awarded “Best Container Shipping Alliance” at the Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards (AFSCAs), held in Hong Kong on April 22, 2009. The AFSCA event is one of the highlights of the Asian freight industry calendar. More than 12,500 readers of CargonewsAsia were polled in an online voting process to select the best service providers in the award categories. Readers were asked to select winning organizations demonstrating qualities such as consistency in service, continuous innovation and customer relationship management. The Grand Alliance, formed in 1998, is a global container shipping consortium.


TITAN Salvage reports
active first quarter

POMPANO BEACH, FL — With the arrival of calmer springtime weather, TITAN Salvage has resumed wreck removal operations in Gibraltar on the NEW FLAME following a busy first quarter in which the company successfully responded to eight salvage opportunities. Among them were the re-floating of the bulk carrier FEDRA's forward section in Gibraltar, the re-floating of a general cargo vessel grounded on environmentally-sensitive coral reefs of southern Belize; and the safe delivery of a tank ship involved in a collision and fire off the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. TITAN, a wholly owned Crowley subsidiary, is a worldwide salvage company based in Pompano Beach, Fla. The company also has offices and equipment depots in Newhaven, UK and Singapore. Over the past 28 years, TITAN has performed more than 300 salvage and wreck removal projects worldwide.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Port of Seattle set for
start of 2009 cruise season

SEATTLE — The 2009 cruise season gets underway April 24 with the arrival of Holland America Line's ms AMSTERDAM at the new Smith Cove Terminal located at the Port of Seattle's Pier 91. A record 211 vessels are expected this season, bringing an estimated 801,000 passengers to Seattle. The port's cruise business creates thousands of jobs and millions in revenue while using new technology to lessen its environmental footprint. Per an agreement between the port and the cruise lines, all cruise ships that homeport in Seattle will use shore power or low-sulfur fuel while docked, eliminating the need to run ship engines to generate onboard electricity. That agreement is similar to one between the cruise lines, the port, and the Washington State Department of Ecology that governs wastewater discharges. Seattle's cruise industry is responsible for more than 3,700 jobs, $312 million in annual business revenue, and $16 million in state and local tax revenues.


Port of Vancouver, USA
already working at Terminal 5

VANCOUVER, USA — It has been less than a month since the Port of Vancouver USA took ownership of the properties formerly known as the Alcoa/Evergreen Aluminum properties, and yet the port's new Terminal 5 is already accepting cargo. At 9 a.m., Monday, April 13, crews from International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 4 began moving wind energy cargo on to the new terminal, unloading Vestas tower sections from the vessel Makiri Green at Terminal 3 and moving them across Terminal 4, through the TriStar Transload leasehold and onto Terminal 5 where they will be stored until delivery to the wind farm development takes place. Between Monday and Thursday, April 16, a total of 72 Vestas tower sections were discharged from the ship and moved to Terminal 5.


Boeing converted freighter
delivered to Air China Cargo

XIAMEN, China — Boeing, Air China Cargo and TAECO (Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Co.) have celebrated the redelivery of the carrier's first 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter, the first of three 747-400BCFs ordered by the airline. The airplane is converted from an Air China 747-400 Combi. Air China Cargo is receiving the 37th 747-400BCF redelivery and the eighth conversion from a combi model. The airplane is also the 29th to be converted at the TAECO facility. The second conversion for Air China Cargo also is under way at TAECO. Nine carriers have ordered 49 747-400BCFs. Modifications for the combi-to-freighter conversion include a strengthened main-deck floor, full main-deck lining installation, provisions for a new cargo handling system and complete revisions to the airplane systems. The 747-400BCF has positions for 30 pallets on the main deck -- volume which is comparable to the 747-400 production freighter.


Ship management firm
slams HEBEI SPIRIT ruling

LONDON — InterManager, the international trade association for in-house and third party ship managers, has expressed concern at initial reports emerging from Korea which indicate that the Korean Supreme Court has not exonerated the Master and Chief Engineer of the HEBEI SPIRIT. Early indications are that the Supreme Court appears to be unwilling to reverse the Appeal Court's guilty ruling on pollution charges even though the Primary Court judged them to be innocent. Other charges look set to once again be referred to an appeal court. It is not yet clear whether the seafarers must remain in Korea pending this further appeal. The 1993-built HEBEI SPIRIT was at anchor waiting for a berth when a crane barge broke its tow in stormy weather and smashed into the vessel's side, holing three cargo tanks. About 10,500 tonnes of oil spilled into the sea, causing Korea's largest ever oil spill. Two South Korean tug masters were jailed for their part in the incident but the two HEBEI SPIRIT officers, Indian nationals Capt. Jasprit Chawla and Syam Chetan, were cleared of all charges last June. However, they were subsequently jailed after a retrial returned a guilty verdict. Following international outcry at the inhuman conditions the men faced in jail they were released at the end of last year but ordered to remain in Korea pending the Supreme Court ruling.


Border Patrol agents
take tips for charity

BELLINGHAM — On Saturday April 18, Blaine Sector Border Patrol agents and Bellingham Police officers traded their handcuffs and badges for aprons and menus. The agents and officers served tables at the Bellingham Red Robin Restaurant from noon until 8 p.m. More than $3,000 in tips and donations were collected for the Special Olympics Washington. “Tip a Cop” is an official statewide fund raising event sponsored by the Law Enforcement Torch Run Campaign. Enforcement officers and agency personnel volunteer their time as “Celebrity Waiters” at local Red Robin Restaurants to collect tips and donations to support the Special Olympics.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Waterfront planning efforts
making progress in Bellingham

BELLINGHAM — The Bellingham City Council and Port Commission have voted to move forward on joint waterfront planning efforts. In a joint meeting on April 20, 2009, the two governing bodies voted to adopt the proposed Planning Framework and Planning Assumptions as a basis to move the waterfront redevelopment master planning process forward for further development and public review, including referral to the Waterfront Advisory Group. They also agreed that final decisions will be made only after publication of the final Environmental Impact Statement. A joint public information session on the Planning Framework and Planning Assumptions will be at 6:30 p.m., April 29, at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal 355 Harris Avenue in Fairhaven. In addition to the staff presentation, there will be opportunities for people to ask questions and share ideas. The Waterfront Advisory Committee also will review these planning documents at its regular meeting on May 13. In March 2009, the Bellingham City Council and Port of Bellingham's Board of Commissioners were presented a report by a group of local volunteer architects regarding waterfront redevelopment concepts. Since that time, city, port, Western Washington University, members of the local volunteer architect group, and others have discussed priorities and options that would support finalizing a waterfront master planning process.


Port of Seattle eyes
ethics compliance program

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle has developed a preliminary work plan for establishing a comprehensive ethics compliance program. Such a program is directly responsive to one of the eight recommendations contained in the “Special Investigative Committee Report” prepared by Mike McKay and others, dated December 3, 2008. It also addresses CEO Tay Yoshitani’s commitment to improving the port’s culture both in terms of how employees behave in the workplace toward each other and how they behave as community citizens and stewards of the public’s resources. In his presentation to the port commission on December 9, 2008, he made a commitment to develop a comprehensive workplace responsibility awareness and training program using the principles expressed in six existing policies, including: the Ethics Policy for Employees, Ethics Policy for Consultants, Fraud Awareness and Prevention, Anti-Harassment Policy, ICT Appropriate Use Policy and Whistleblower Policy. (See Workplace Responsibility diagram.) The Work Plan includes specific projects and a schedule, including robust and regular training and communication elements for employees. The Interim Report on this program, the Program Planning Committee, and all accompanying documents created as part of it will reside on the port's Web page, http://www.portseattle.org.


ARRA funding headed to
series of Coast Guard projects

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has announced that a series of U.S. Coast Guard projects designed to provide critical improvements and create jobs will be funded by an infusion of $240 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ARRA, signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 19, committed more than $3 billion for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and General Services Administration (GSA) in support of DHS programs. A total of $240 million was provided by ARRA to the Coast Guard. $142 million will be used to fund bridge alterations projects on the Mobile Bridge in Hurricane, Ala., the EJ&E Bridge in Devine, Ill., the Burlington Bridge in Burlington, Iowa, and the Galveston Causeway Railroad Bridge in Galveston, Texas. In addition, $88 million in ARRA funds will allow for the construction of buildings to house Coast Guard Sectors in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Jacksonville, Fla., as well as shore infrastructure projects—construction of personnel housing, boat moorings and other improvements—in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware. Finally, $10 million will help upgrade or replace worn or obsolete components on the Coast Guard's fleet of 12 high-endurance cutters, including upgrades to boiler controls, refrigeration systems and automatic bus transfer switches, and replacements of fire pumps, fire and smoke detection systems and auxiliary saltwater pumps. The 40-plus-year-old cutters benefiting from the ARRA-funded projects are homeported in Seattle, Alameda, Calif., Kodiak, Alaska, Honolulu, San Diego and Charleston, S.C.


Mitsui O.S.K. Lines installs
reefer box monitoring system

TOKYO — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has announced the installation of an automatic monitoring system for reefer containers at the Tokyo International Container Terminal (TICT). MOL and Wilco Inc. jointly demonstrated the system, which automatically monitors the temperature in each reefer container. Based on the results of the demonstration, MOL decided to introduce the system at TICT, the first full-scale system installed at any Tokyo Bay container terminal. The system relies on power lines to automatically transmit information from modems on containers to monitors in the terminal office. The signals travel over the same power lines that supply electricity to the reefer containers. Until now, the temperature in the reefer container was controlled by connecting a special cable for monitoring or by periodic visual checks.


NYK plans to develop
new super eco vessel

TOKYO — NYK has released an initial exploratory design for its NYK Super Eco Ship 2030, an energy-efficient ship expected to emit far fewer CO2 emissions
than current vessels. The design was created by MTI, a wholly owned NYK subsidiary charged with making use of advances in technology, along with Garroni Progetti s.r.l, an Italian designer of ships, and Elomatic Marine, a Finnish marine-technology consultant. NYK Super Eco Ship 2030 will make use of progressive technologies that have the potential of being realized by 2030. The power needed to propel the ship can be lessened by decreasing the weight of the hull and reducing water friction. Propulsion power can be increased through use of LNG-based fuel cells, solar cells, and wind power, all of which will lead to a reduction of CO2 by 69 percent per container carried.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, April 20, 2009

Editor,

An evaporating small sheen in the water that poses no risk is disappointing but not as note worthy as a fisherman loosing his life. Your article (April 16) “Agencies work to clean sheen from overturned fishing vessel” is a skewed view of a tragedy involving a capsized vessel that resulted in the loss of life.

Patrick Boyle
Cap Sante International

Editor's note: Thank you Mr. Boyle. Here is more information on the RENEE MARIA capsizing.

SEATTLE — One of two men pulled from the waters near Cape Elizabeth, Wash., by the Coast Guard died at the Aberdeen General Hospital in Aberdeen, Wash. April 14. Coast Guard units in Port Angeles, and Astoria, received a mayday from the 31-foot fishing vessel, RENEE MARIA, at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday. An HH-60 helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria was immediately launched along with a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from Station Quillayute River, Wash. Using directions provided by the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 system, the helicopter crew was able to fly directly to the scene of the overturned vessel where they found Weston Fowler of Port Orchard, Wash., tangled in crab fishing gear. "The Rescue 21 system got us within yards of the vessel," said Lt. Robert Potter, a Coast Guard pilot who responded to the scene. A rescue swimmer was lowered to retrieve Fowler and Coast Guard personnel administered CPR to him until they reached medical personnel on shore. Mr. Fowler was taken to Aberdeen General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Two Coast Guard HH-60 helicopter crews from Air Station Astoria, Ore., two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Stations Quillayute River and Grays Harbor, Wash., and two commercial fishing vessels searched the waters eight miles west of Cape Elizabeth for the second man, Jeremy Brown of Port Orchard, who was found in a liferaft at 11:20 p.m. after a helicopter crew spotted a flare. The 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from Quillayute River rescued Mr. Brown and transported him to Grays Harbor where it was determined he was well enough to return home. "Mr. Brown's presence of mind helped a great deal to increase his chances of survival," said Lt. Potter. "He managed to stay focused enough to get the raft inflated and those flares shot off. The third flare he fired perfectly illuminated the raft he was in, and all our resources headed straight for him." Lt. Potter also praised the commercial fishermen who aided in the search when they heard the mayday transmission. The RENEE MARIA is homeported in Chinook, Wash.


Neptune Orient Lines
promotes two executives

SINGAPORE — Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) Group President & CEO Ronald D. Widdows has announced new senior management appointments to head the group’s APL Logistics business unit and its South Asia Region organization. Jim McAdam has been promoted and assumes the position of president, APL Logistics, the unit of the NOL Group that provides international supply chain capabilities for customers globally. He replaces Brian Lutt who recently left the Group to pursue other opportunities. Mr. McAdam is currently APL’s president South Asia Region and prior to that was president of the Asia/Middle East Region from 2006. Goh Teik Poh has been selected to replace Mr. McAdam as president South Asia Region. He will lead APL’s business and operations across 27 country markets in Southeast Asia, West Asia, the Middle East and Australia.


UK Ship Register
welcomes giant container ship

LONDON — The UK ship register officially welcomed CMA CGM ANDROMEDA to the UK Ship Register earlier this month, when the vessel docked at Southampton. The vessel is the largest container ship on the UK register at 131,332 GT, 11,356 TEU. Overall the ship is the second largest vessel on the register with the QUEEN MARY 2 being the largest at 148,528 GT. CMA CGM ANDROMEDA, owned by CMA CGM, 3rd worldwide shipping group, is also the world's first containership to be equipped with the "Fast Oil Recovery System" designed to help prevent marine pollution. The vessel was built in by Hyundai Heavy
Industries Co Ltd, Ulsan, South Korea and delivered on March 18, 2009. The UK Ship Register has 1,557 vessels and GT now stands at 16,482,171. CMA CGM currently has 31 ships registered with the UKSR, equating to just under 1.4 million GT and is the 3rd largest fleet flying the UK Flag.


Crowley ships 'safe boats'
for use in Americas Summit

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Crowley played a behind-the-scenes role in assuring Heads of State had safe transportation during the Summit of the Americas event held in Trinidad and Tobago last weekend. The company successfully transported two Interceptor vessels or "Safe Boats" to Trinidad for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The vessels will be used to ensure the security of visiting dignitaries. The U.S. government agency thanked Crowley for coordinating and assisting in this important task The Summit of the Americas brings together the Heads of State and government representatives from the Western Hemisphere to discuss common concerns, seek solutions and develop a shared vision for the future development of the region, be it economic, social or political in nature. U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Trinidad to attend the summit, following his visit to Mexico.


Department of Commerce
rules against LNG project

WASHINGTON, DC — The Department of Commerce has issued a decision upholding New York State’s objection to the proposed construction and operation of a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and subsea pipeline that would be located in the New York waters of Long Island Sound. Broadwater Energy LLC, and Broadwater Pipeline LLC proposed constructing the terminal to which tankers would deliver LNG. At the terminal, LNG would be regasified and then transported to shore by way of a new 21.7 mile subsea natural gas pipeline that would tie into the regional network. New York objected to the project under the Coastal Zone Management Act, asserting that the proposal was inconsistent with the Long Island Sound Coastal Management Program. Broadwater appealed the State’s objection to the Department of Commerce on June 6, 2008. The Department of Commerce concluded that the project’s adverse coastal impacts outweighed its national interest, in part because its location in an undeveloped region of the sound would significantly impair its unique scenic and aesthetic character and would undermine decades of federal, state, and local efforts to protect the region. The decision was based on the appeal record, which includes information developed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), additional briefs and documents offered by the parties, the views of interested federal agencies, as well as a “friend of the court” brief filed by the Attorney General of Connecticut. The ruling prevents the issuance of any federal permits necessary for the construction and operation of the project. It does not, however, prevent Broadwater from developing alternate proposals for federal and state review.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, April 17, 2009

Maersk, CMA CGM to begin
Port of Seattle calls in June

SEATTLE — Maersk Line and CMA CGM have confirmed that they will begin calling with a combined service at the Port of Seattle's Terminal 18 in June. Ships from the two lines will make weekly calls in Seattle. Fourteen vessels, each with a capacity of 6,500 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), will be deployed on the joint service. Maersk and CMA CGM will use the dockside intermodal yard at Terminal 18 to move containers between ships and trains. Maersk Line, based in Denmark and CMA CGM, based in France, are among the world's largest container lines.


Longview Port Commissioners
seek bids on sand removal work

LONGVIEW — The Board of Commissioners for the Port of Longview is requesting sealed bids for the 2009 Sand Removal & Embankment Construction Project, including the furnishing of all labor, materials and equipment necessary. The bids will be received at the office of the Port of Longview, 10 Port Way, Longview, Washington, until 2 p.m., April 28, 2009, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud. Any bids received after the due date and time will not be considered. This project consists of remvoal and on-site hauling of approximately 776,000 cubic yards of sand from the port's borrow site. Additionally, the scope includes constructing embankments and providing aggregate base course. A pre-bid conference and site tour is scheduled for this project on Tuesday, April 21, 2009. Potential bidders are encouraged to attend. The port will convene at the lobby of the main administrative offices located at #10 Port Way,Longview, WA., at 2 p.m. Plans, specifications, contract documents, addenda and plan holders list for the project are available online through the Port of Longview's on-line plan room. Free-of-charge access is provided to prime bidders, subcontractors and vendors by visiting www.bxwa.com and clicking on "Posted Projects", "Public Works" and "Port of Longview".


US rail freight traffic
continues slide during week

WASHINGTON, DC — Bad weather in the Upper Midwest, the slow economy and the Good Friday holiday all combined to produce another down week for U.S. rail freight traffic during the week ended April 11, the Association of American Railroads reports. U.S. railroads originated 248,391 cars during the week, down 24.5 percent from the comparison week in 2008, with loadings down 22.5 percent in the West and 27.3 percent in the East. The comparison week from last year did not include Good Friday, which is observed as a holiday on most U.S. railroads. Intermodal volume of 178,283 trailers or containers was off 21.6 percent from last year, with container volume falling 17.7 percent and trailer volume dropping 35.7 percent. Total volume was estimated at 26.4 billion ton-miles, off 23.7 percent from 2008. For the first 14 weeks of 2009, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,770,207 carloads, down 17.2 percent from 2008; 2,606,619 trailers or containers, down 15.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 400.1 billion ton-miles, down 16.1 percent.


K Line joining TSK
in joint Japan/Jakarta service

TOKYO — Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K”LINE) and TOKYO SENPAKU KAISHA, LTD (TSK) have reached an agreement to launch a joint service between Japan and Straits / Jakarta from mid-May 2009, in response to the ongoing financial crisis that has reduced cargo volume for this sector. “K” LINE and TSK will merge two existing, independent services into one service, unifying fleet deployment to their maximum size thereby improving efficiency and schedule integrity. In addition to this newly-established joint service, both parties also agree to widen their cooperation by exchanging slots with each other on their existing services, so that they can maximize efficiency and provide better quality and wider range of services to their customers. This slot exchange is also designed with the intent of keeping comprehensive port coverage that both parties now operates through their existing two independent services, and ensure that all ports will be continuously served without hindrance. Four vessels of about 1700 nominal TEU capacity will be deployed on a 28-day round voyage to provide a weekly service. “K”LINE and TSK will provide two vessels each The joint service will provide the following port coverage: Osaka, Shimizu, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Kobe, Keelung, Manila, Singapore, Port Klang, Jakarta, Singapore, Manila, Osaka


Webb Institute name pair
as Crowley scholars for 2009-2100

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Crowley's commitment to provide educational opportunities to exemplary students continued this week, as the Webb Institute named Simmy Willemann of Pleasantville, N.Y. and Seth Cooley of East Lyme, Conn., as the 2009-2010 Crowley scholars. Both students, who will each receive $5,000 in cash grants from Crowley, were selected based on their distinguished scholastic and community service activities. The recent Crowley Webb scholarships are part of Crowley's longstanding, ongoing commitment to education. Over the years, Crowley Chairman, President and CEO, Tom Crowley Jr., has directed the company to present scholarship dollars to deserving students at the maritime academies and other select institutions in the U.S., Caribbean and Central America in the name of his father Thomas B. Crowley Sr., who guided the company to extraordinary heights before passing away in 1994.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, April 16, 2009

Schnitzer board elects
pair of new members

PORTLAND — Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. has announced that David J. Anderson and Wayland R. Hicks have been elected to the company’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. The addition of Messrs. Anderson and Hicks expands the board to 13 and results in the majority of the board being independent directors. Mr. Anderson, 61, most recently served as executive director and co-vice chairman of Sauer-Danfoss Inc. and was the president and chief executive officer of Sauer-Danfoss Inc. from July 2002 through January 2009. Sauer-Danfoss designs and manufactures hydraulic systems used in agriculture, construction, road-building and materials handling equipment. Mr. Hicks, 66, served as director and vice chairman of United Rentals, Inc. from 1998 through March 2009 and served as chief executive officer from December 2003 through June 2007. United Rentals, Inc. is one of the largest national equipment rental companies in the U.S., serving residential, commercial and industrial needs. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Hicks will serve terms as directors until the company’s 2010 annual meeting of shareholders.


Port Tracker report finds
box volume at seven year low

WASHINGTON, DC — Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports hit its lowest level in seven years in February as the number of containers dropped below the 1 million mark for the first time in half a decade, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and IHS Global Insight. Numbers began climbing again in March and April, but the 1 million mark won’t be seen again before May, and imports will continue to see significant declines compared with last year at least through the summer.


MarAd has DOD funding
for Port of Anchorage upgrades

WASHINGTON, DC — The Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration has announced the receipt of $10 million from the Department of Defense, Office of Economic Adjustment, to continue Port of Anchorage, Alaska, with its infrastructure improvements. The funding will allow the port to complete the next phase of its $700 million renovation and expansion, which will add an additional 18 acres of new real estate to the port. The Port of Anchorage is undergoing a $700 million major renovation and expansion to support both increasing Department of Defense use of the port, as well as its growing commercial use. The port serves more than 80 percent of Alaska's population, with 90 percent of consumer goods flowing through it, and it is the major gateway for equipment supporting the state's energy industry.


CKYH Alliance member lines
discuss future at summit meeting

SEOUL — CKYH (COSCON, “K” LINE, Yang Ming, and Hanjin Shipping) Alliance have announced that they held a 2009 Summit Meeting in Jeju, Korea on April, 9th. With the senior management staff of each line present, the alliance members shared concerns and ideas on market prospects as well as on how to overcome the current crisis in the shipping industry. They all agreed that the key to survival lies in providing the customers with distinguished services, which requires even stronger cooperation among the partner carriers. In this regard, the alliance members discussed various strategies covering 1) rationalization of the existing East-West trades, 2) expansion in the North-South trades and niche markets, 3) utilization of assets such as ships, terminals, etc., 4) cost-saving by common EQ management, feeder network, and contract with 3rd parties, etc. CKYH Alliance adds that they are planning on holding regular consultations between the top management of each partner carrier to discuss operational issues and responses to meet customer demand in a timely way and maintain top quality service for their customers.


Agencies work to clean sheen
from overturned fishing vessel

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard and other state and local agencies are working to cleanup a diesel sheen that resulted from the overturning of the fishing vessel, RENEE MARIA, near Cape Elizabeth, Wash., Wednesday. The Coast Guard, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA, Quinault Nation Indian Tribe, Washington Department of Ecology, Department of Interior, Meredith Management and CPR Mangement Services are responding to the sheen that is reported to be one-half mile long and 80-feet wide. The Coast Guard has opened the National Pollution Fund for $250,000 for the cleanup. The sheen is made up of diesel, hydraulic and other lubricant fluids and is reported to be evaporating with no risk of reaching land. A salvage company has been hired to recover the RENEE MARIA. The RENEE MARIA overturned Tuesday prompting Coast Guard units to respond and rescue its two passengers from the water. One of two men pulled from the water by the Coast Guard died at the Aberdeen General Hospital in Aberdeen, Wash. The accident is under investigation.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Seattle Port Commissioners
Ok relief/environmental schemes

SEATTLE — Port of Seattle Commissioners have approved a plan that protects jobs, supports local truckers and maritime cargo customers, and reduces diesel emissions. The clean air plan will keep older, more polluting trucks off roads and port terminals; the customer support plan reduces fees and defers some payments from terminal operators. The relief package is focused on terminal operators whose revenues depend on the number of containers they handle. Port cargo was down 37 percent in February 2009 as consumer spending continued to drop, endangering the jobs that cargo generates. Seattle’s maritime cargo industry supports over 135,000 jobs throughout the state - jobs that are crucial to the health of the state’s economy. The customer support program would go into effect from June 2009 to June 2010, although adjustments may be made as economic conditions change. The Port of Seattle will continue to demonstrate its environmental commitment by contributing $2.3 million to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA). The port is investing the funds in programs that reduce diesel emission from maritime sources, particularly a program that buys back pre-1994 trucks and scraps them. Additional funds available from other sources will be used to assist truckers with replacing older trucks with newer, cleaner retrofits that produce less pollution.


Corps wants public comment
on Columbia mouth dredging plans

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public comments on continued maintenance dredging planned between June and October at the mouth of the Columbia River. As in years past, the Corps plans to maintain the navigation channel at its federally authorized depths of 55 feet and 48 feet for the outbound (northern) and inbound (southern) lanes, respectively. To view the entire public notice and supporting documents, visit https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/n/envcord.asp. Send comments to Steve Helm at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CENWP-PM-E, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR, 97208, or via email at steve.r.helm@usace.army.mil, or telephone at (503)-808-4778. Comments must be received by May 14.


Federal stimulus funds set for
Washington emissions program

SEATTLE — Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Department of Ecology Director Jay Manning have announced that $1.73 million in federal stimulus grants will be distributed throughout Washington to reduce harmful emissions from diesel engines. The state Department of Ecology will receive the money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Ecology will use the funds to bolster the Washington clean diesel program. Ecology’s air quality program will use about $1.3 million to help to improve pollution controls on privately and publicly owned cargo-handling equipment, such as trucks, loaders and forklifts, at Puget Sound and Columbia River ports.


Port of Tacoma reports
smooth TWIC implementation

TACOMA —Since the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card became mandatory at the Port of Tacoma on Feb. 28, 2009, terminals and the port-operated facilities report a smooth implementation. Following the initial TWIC registration effort in November 2007, the Port of Tacoma and its terminal operator customers began a comprehensive outreach program to vendors, labor, transportation providers and port staff to raise awareness of the new requirement. Port staff, for example, met with companies and worker groups, distributed fliers to truckers and vendors, set up electronic road signage, detailed new requirements on the port website, and much more. As of April 3, 2009, total TWIC enrollments in the Tacoma area numbered 12,170 with 10,193 activations. And 100 percent of Port of Tacoma staff has received their TWIC card.


Panama Canal Authority
posts quarterly metrics

PANAMA CITY — The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has released second quarter (Q2) operational metrics for fiscal year 2009. In Q2, Canal Waters Time (CWT), the average time it takes a vessel to transit the Canal, including waiting time for passage, decreased significantly, while total transits and net tonnage remained nearly flat. These metrics are based on operations from January through March 2009, the second quarter of the ACP's 2009 fiscal year, and are compared with Q2 of fiscal year 2008. Average CWT decreased 27.9 percent – to 26.22 hours from 36.39 hours. CWT for booked vessels (those ships holding reservations) decreased 19.5 percent – to 15.83 hours from 19.66 hours. The drop in CWT can be attributed to the ACP’s efficient operations and a decline in transits. Total canal transits slightly decreased 1.4 percent – to 3,914 transits from 3,971. Transits of supers, larger ships that require greater time and navigation skills to transit the canal, declined 2.9 percent – to 1,815 transits from 1,869.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, April 13, 2009

Federal stimulus grant funds
eyed for cleaner diesel engines

OLYMPIA — Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Department of Ecology Director Jay Manning have announced that $1.73 million in federal stimulus grants will be distributed throughout Washington to reduce harmful emissions from diesel engines. The state Department of Ecology will receive the money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Ecology will use the funds to bolster the Washington clean diesel program. Ecology has identified diesel exhaust as the air pollutant most harmful to public health in Washington. Diesel exhaust causes 70 percent of the cancer risk from airborne pollutants. It puts healthy people at risk for respiratory disease and worsens the symptoms of those with health problems such as asthma and heart and lung disease. The funds also will support Washington’s economy by paying contractors to install new pollution controls on engines that run on diesel fuel. Ecology’s air quality program will use about $1.3 million to help to improve pollution controls on privately and publicly owned cargo-handling equipment, such as trucks, loaders and forklifts, at Puget Sound and Columbia River ports. Ecology estimates that money will pay for more than 200 exhaust retrofits.


The Greenbrier Companies
announces second quarter numbers

LAKE OSWEGO — The Greenbrier Companies has reported results for its fiscal second quarter ended February 28, 2009. Revenue for the second quarter was $287 million, up $27 million or 11 percent versus the prior year's second quarter. Net loss for the quarter was $6.9 million, or $.41 per diluted share,compared to net earnings of $1.4 million, or $.09 per diluted share, in the prior year's second quarter. Results for the second quarter of 2009 were impacted by a $9.9 million deferral of revenue and related margin on a portion of the sale price of certain railcars sold and paid for in full during the quarter. A portion of this deferral is anticipated to be recognized as revenue and pre-tax earnings in future periods. The results also include $1.4 million of severance costs associated with reductions in work force. EBITDA for the quarter was $9.4 million, or 3.3 percent of revenues, compared to $23.6 million, or 9.1 percent of revenues in the second quarter of 2008.


Lynden Companies receive
Green Star environmental award

ANCHORAGE — The Lynden family of companies was recently presented with a Green Star Award for environmental programs in Alaska. Lynden companies Lynden Transport and Alaska West Express are the first Alaska trucking companies to be recognized by Green Star for environmental stewardship. The non-profit Green Star organization encourages businesses to practice waste reduction, energy conservation and pollution prevention through education and a voluntary "green business" certification program. Lynden's award will be officially presented next month at an Anchorage Chamber of Commerce meeting. Lynden is working as a unified organization to certify at least seven of its locations throughout the state including companies Alaska West Express, Lynden Air Cargo and Lynden Transport locations in Alaska.


Alaska Airlines plans flights
from Bellingham to Las Vegas

SEATTLE — Alaska Airlines has announced new nonstop service between Bellingham and Las Vegas starting June 25, 2009. The flights will operate each way on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines will also continue to offer four-times-daily Bellingham-Las Vegas service via Seattle. The flights will depart Bellingham International Airport at 5:35 p.m. and arrive in Las Vegas at 8:05 p.m. Return flights will depart Las Vegas at 2 p.m., arriving in Bellingham at 4:35 p.m. The airline will use fuel-efficient Boeing 737-700 aircraft on the route, seating 112 passengers in the main cabin and 12 in first class. Alaska Airlines previously served Bellingham from 1989 to 1992, and since has been serving the market via sister airline Horizon Air.


Washington ferry ELWHA
back in service following shutdown

ANACORTES — The Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) has completed investigation and maintenance of the drive motor on the 144-auto ferry ELWHA, and the vessel returned to service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route on April 9. The 90-auto SEALTH will restore capacity on the inter-island route by relieving the 34-auto HIYU. WSF removed the ELWHA from service on March 24 after the crew discovered sparking in an electrical switch in the vessel’s drive motor. Removing the vessel from service prevented further problems that could have resulted in a severe casualty of the drive motor.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, April 10, 2009

TSA member carriers eye
minimum base freight rates

OAKLAND — Transpacific container lines are recommending an unprecedented schedule of minimum base freight rates from Asia to U.S. for their upcoming service contracts, in an effort to stabilize revenues and services. Member lines in the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) say that establishing a floor on rates, in light of the recent flurry of reductions, will likely decide whether some lines continue to operate in the trade. Despite initiatives previously announced by the TSA, efforts to curtail rate volatility during the traditional off-peak period have been largely unsuccessful, as carriers have struggled to respond to substantially lower cargo demand and the resulting overcapacity. Senior executives with TSA carriers now must come to terms with a stark set of choices: Set their pricing at minimally sustainable levels, or see massive losses in 2009-10 that will not only threaten their viability but also damage the service integrity in the trade.


Port of Camas-Washougal
holding airport open house

CAMAS — The Port of Camas-Washougal invites the community to review the draft Grove Field Airport improvement alternatives currently being considered, to have their questions answered and share their input. A public open house is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Camas High School Commons area.The drop-in style open house will include periodic project overview presentations and graphic representations of the alternatives at display stations. Staff will be on hand to answer questions and collect comments. The purpose of this Environmental Assessment project is to bring Grove Field Airport into compliance with Federal Aviation Administration design standards for the airport's existing Airport Reference Code of A-I (small), while complying with Federal and State environmental regulations. The current airport designation for Grove Field allows for aircraft with approach speeds of less than 91 knots, wingspans up to 49 feet and a maximum weight of 12,500 pounds. There will be no change in the size of aircraft typically using Grove Field Airport as a result of this project.


Weather hits weekly totals
for US rail freight traffic

WASHINGTON, DC — Bad weather in Wyoming and the Upper Midwest combined with the slow economy to produce another down week for U.S. rail freight traffic during the first week of April, the Association of American Railroads reports. U.S. railroads reported originating 262,624 cars during the week, down 20.5 percent from the comparison week in 2008, with loadings down 19.4 percent in the West and 22.0 percent in the East. Intermodal volume of 184,845 trailers or containers was off 14.7 percent from last year, with container volume falling 9.0 percent and trailer volume dropping 34.0 percent. Total volume was estimated at 27.9 billion ton-miles, off 19.1 percent from 2008. Eighteen of 19 carload freight commodity groups were down from last year, with the miscellaneous category labeled "all other carloads" showing a small 0.3 percent increase. Declines on the other 18 commodity groups ranged from 8.3 percent for coal to 63.8 percent for metals. For the first 13 weeks of 2009, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 3,521,816 carloads, down 16.7 percent from 2008; 2,428,336 trailers or containers, down 15.4 percent; and total volume of an estimated 373.7 billion ton-miles, down 15.5 percent.


Evergreen making changes
to pair of service offerings

TAIPEI — Evergreen Line has announced a series of enhancements to its Asia - U.S. East Coast Service (AUE) and China - South U.S. West Coast - China Service (CPS). These changes will come into effect from mid April. The CPS service will now provide faster transit times from the ports of Shanghai to Los Angeles. From Shanghai the transit times has been reduced to 12 days. The revised CPS port rotation is as follows: Xingang - Qingdao - Shanghai - Ningbo - Los Angeles - Oakland - Xingang. The first CPS vessel to load in China will be the 6332TEU HATSU ENVOY 0331-070' sailing from Xingang on April 18, 2009. The AUE service, which offers direct sailing between Asia and the U.S. East Coast, will now offer a transit time of 24 days between Yantian and Savannah. The first sailing on the revised schedule will be operated by the 4,211TEU vessel, EVER DIAMOND 0468-089E' departing from Taipei Port on April 24, 2009. The port rotation is as follows: Taipei - Hong Kong - Yantian - Kaohsiung - Colon Container Terminal - Savannah - New York - Baltimore - Colon Container Terminal - Taipei.


PDX names winner
of 'Heroes' movie contest

PORTLAND — Bryan Rosenberger and his video “It’s What Super Heroes Do” is the grand prize winner in the Be a Local Super Hero video contest promoting Portland International Airport’s nonstop services to Europe and Asia. More than 1,600 viewers selected the winner from a field of 55 one-minute qualifying video entries through an on-line voting Web site. As the grand prize winner, Mr. Rosenberger received four coach tickets to his choice of Amsterdam or Tokyo on Northwest (a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines) or Frankfurt on Lufthansa, plus a pre-loaded credit or debit card with a cash value of $2,000 to cover other travel costs. The two runners up in the contest were Clint Fanney with his video, “I Want to Go to Tokyo” and William Bahrenburg for “Super William.” Mr. Fanney and Mr. Bahrenburg each received two coach tickets to their choice of the same destinations offered to the grand prize winner.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, April 9, 2009

New Crowley tug delivered
from Diversified Marine

PORTLAND — The vessel construction boom at Crowley continues as the company took delivery of the NACHIK, a newly-designed shallow draft tug, from Diversified Marine in Portland. The NACHIK, which means "hair seal" in the native Inupiaq language, will be deployed in Alaska and is the third new vessel to be handed off to Crowley in less than two weeks. Last week, the company took delivery of the articulated tug-barge (ATB) COMMITMENT and 650-6 in Pascagoula, Miss., and on March 28 Crowley christened and launched the 455-4, a heavy-lift series deck barge, at Gunderson Marine in Portland. Jointly designed by Crowley and Diversified Marine, the NACHIK is a triple screw diesel powered tug equipped to safely propel petroleum/freight barges in river systems throughout Alaska. Its sister vessel, the SESOK, which means "beluga whale", is scheduled to be delivered in late May.


Port of Camas-Washougal
taps new communications boss

CAMAS — The Port of Camas-Washougal has announced the hiring of Jack Hardy as communications manager. In this new part-time position, Mr. Hardy will oversee public relations, advertising and marketing communications programs. According to Executive Director David Ripp, the new position is designed to facilitate public information to help enhance the two-way communication process with port officials and the public. Mr. Hardy's career in public relations spans 20 years of work with organizations in local government, non-profit agencies, technology businesses and various consumer and business-to-business clients. He is the founder and principal of Niche Public Relations, is an adjunct faculty at the Portland State University School of Business and Marylhurst University. He has a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University and an MBA from George Fox University.


Parking prices going up
at Portland International Airport

PORTLAND — Economy and long-term parking lot rates at Portland International Airport will increase $2 per day beginning May 1. Rates for parking spaces for people with disabilities in all PDX parking lots will also increase $2 per day. Short-term parking garage rates will remain the same, and hourly parking rates in all lots will remain the same.The rate change is the first increase in 10 years for the economy parking lots and the first increase in five years for the long-term lot. It is also the first increase in 10 years for parking spaces for people with disabilities. The increase applies to vehicles entering the parking facilities on or after May 1. Vehicles parked before May 1 will pay current rates, no matter when they exit. Parking on the seventh day also remains free for those who park for a full week in the economy lots. Revenues raised from parking fees support future airport parking and transportation improvements, such as parking and roadway expansion and maintenance, and shuttle bus purchases, operations and maintenance.


Vessel arrives in Los Angeles
with damaged/missing containers

LOS ANGELES — The Coast Guard is monitoring a container ship in the Port of Los Angeles that lost 14 containers of cargo at sea and has 26 damaged containers still remaining on board. Earlier this week, the Coast Guard's Sector Command Center recieved notification that the container ship M/V YM TAICHUNG was bound for the port with the damaged cargo onboard. YM TAICHUNG reported they encountered heavy weather on April 5th, in the Pacific Ocean approximately 1000 nautical miles west of San Francisco.


Construction project closing
section of Bellingham promenade

BELLINGHAM — Construction work has begun on the Bellwether Gate building at the Port of Bellingham's Bellwether on the Bay development alongside Squalicum Harbor. This building, which will include underground parking, offices and some retail and services, will be completed by December 2010. It is the first of four buildings that will be owned and managed by Bellwether Gate, LLC. The first building will be located between Anthony's Homeport Restaurant and the Hearthfire Grill Restaurant. Because of the construction activity, a portion of the waterfront promenade will be closed for about one year. This closure will begin Friday, April 10. People still are encouraged to enjoy the rest of the popular waterfront walkway, which continues alongside the full length of Squalicum Harbor.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Tom Sanchez earns title
of Port of Seattle top firefighter

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle Fire Department has named Tom Sanchez, Kent, as the winner of the 2008 Firefighter of the Year Award. The 29-year veteran has been with the Port of Seattle Fire Department his entire career and is a local graduate of O’Dea High School. Mr. Sanchez was recognized for his leadership, work ethic, and dedication to the department. The person honored with this award each year is chosen by a vote of all the department members. Mr. Sanchez is president of the Local 1257 International Association of Firefighters; in years past, he has served as the organization’s Secretary and Vice President. The Port Fire Department is primarily an aircraft rescue firefighting agency responsible for protecting travelers and airport employees at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The department includes 75 members, providing service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.


California Maritime Academy
offers VSO refresher course

VALLEJO, CA — The U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center, through Det Norske Veritas, has approved a Vessel Security Officer (VSO) Refresher Course developed by The California Maritime Academy, a part of The California State University. The course, offered through Cal Maritime’s Sponsored Projects and Extended Learning (SPEL) Department, provides a refresher curriculum for maritime security personnel and is designed to facilitate the transition to the USCG mandatory training for Vessel Security Officers. Effective July 1, 2009 licensed mariners designated as Vessel or Ship Security officers will have to have either passed an approved Vessel Security Officer course, or taken an approved VSO Refresher course and either worked in the position of a VSO or have taken a VSO course. The Refresher course addresses all the latest requirements of the SAFE Port Act of 2006 and the TWIC program, as well as other recent developments and complies with the Guidelines for Maritime Security Training Course Provider (Federal Register February 8, 2005 - Volume 70, Number 25). For more information on Cal Maritime’s new state/federal-approved security training courses, contact Veronica Boe at 707-654-1156 or at vboe@csum.edu. Information on the full range of Cal Maritime’s Extended Learning Courses and a full course catalog can be found at http://www.maritime-education.com.


Ship operator pleads guilty
to dumping contaminated waste

WASHINGTON, DC — Consultores De Navegacion, a Spanish company that operates the M/T NAUTILUS, an ocean-going chemical tanker ship, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Boston and has agreed to pay a fine of $2.5 million for criminal violations related to the overboard discharge of oil-contaminated bilge waste on the high seas, the Justice Department announced. The company pleaded guilty to conspiracy, falsification of records, false statements, obstruction, and two violations of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships for failing to maintain an accurate oil record book. The practice of improperly handling and disposing of oil-contaminated waste from the tanker as charged in the indictment took place from at least June 2007 until March 2008. As part of the plea agreement, Consultores De Navegacion will serve three years of probation and implement a comprehensive environmental compliance plan to ensure there are no future violations of the law. The charges against Cyprus-based Iceport Shipping Co., the owner of the ship, have been dismissed.


Evergreen Line changing
Far East/Panama service

TAIPEI — Evergreen Line will adjust its weekly transit times on its Far East - Panama service (FPS), to improve the service it offers to its customers in Central America, the Caribbean and the West Coast of South America. The company has reduced the transit time from its Taiwanese hub, Kaohsiung to the Mexican port of Lazaro Cardenas from 23 to 16 days. The transit time from Shanghai to the Caribbean hub, Colon Container Terminal, is now 25 days. The FPS service port rotation is now: Ningbao – Shanghai – Yangtian – Kaohsiung – Lazaro Cardenas – Colon Container Terminal - Ningbao. The first sailing operating with the revised schedule will be served by the 2,824 TEU IRENES REMEDY 0046-036, which is due to start loading in Shanghai on April 16, 2009.


Portland Airport noise board
schedules approach test meeting

PORTLAND — Portland International Airport Citizen Noise Advisory Committee will get a final update Thursday, April 9, on Oregon Air National Guard’s continuous descent approach test. The committee will also discuss its project and program priorities for 2009. The public is invited to attend and comment at the meeting from 6-8 p.m. in St. Helens Conference Room B at the airport, located at 7000 NE Airport Way in Portland. The continuous descent approach test began in October and concluded on March 31. Details including noise, operations and community comments will be discussed. Operational impacts associated with the procedure during the summer construction season and north runway extension project will also be discussed. Residents with questions or concerns about the test are encouraged to attend. The committee is expected to make a formal recommendation regarding the use of this procedure at its meeting on May 14. All CNAC meetings include time for public comment. People with special needs attending the meeting are asked to contact the Port for accommodations at 503-460-4543. PDX is wheelchair accessible and located on the TriMet MAX light rail Red Line. Validated parking is also available.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, April 6, 2009

Lower diesel emissions
target of Port of Tacoma plans

TACOMA — Celebrating the maritime industry's continued efforts to reduce diesel emissions in the Puget Sound region, the Port of Tacoma Commission recently applauded the voluntary environmental stewardship of ocean carriers and authorized a new, fee-free, market-based program to reduce emissions from trucks that serve the port. By special resolution, the commission recognized Tacoma ocean carrier customers Evergreen, "K" Line, Maersk Line and Horizon Lines for voluntarily switching to cleaner-burning low-sulfur distillate fuel at berth. Use of the cleaner fuel reduces sulfur dioxide emissions up to 80 percent and cuts diesel particulates up to 70 percent. A critical component of regional freight transportation, heavy-duty trucks represent one percent of maritime industry diesel emissions at the Port of Tacoma. To reduce this impact, the Tacoma Port Commission recently authorized a market-based program to reduce over-the-road emissions. The Port of Tacoma Truck Emissions Improvement Program is designed to improve air quality, increase gate efficiency and be environmentally sustainable. The program, which is fee-free, was developed collaboratively with the trucking industry and other port customers.


Mitsui brings online
new safety scheme

TOKYO — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has launched a safe operation campaign for all MOL-operated vessels. Called the "MOL Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Promotion Campaign 2009," it focuses on safety and health management of seafarers, based on analysis injuries and illnesses that occurred during onboard operation last year. The campaign will promote an active exchange of opinions between vessels and land-based personnel to share information and alerts concerning the causes of various injuries and illness. The goal is to further reinforce MOL's efforts to ensure safe operation of its worldwide fleet.


BNSF efforts bring about
transit time reductions

FORT WORTH — In first quarter 2009, BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) reports it achieved a 12-hour reduction in average transit time for domestic and international intermodal traffic over first quarter 2008. BNSF also improved shipment availability in some lanes by as much as 20 hours. By working with intermodal partners and leveraging available capacity, BNSF is also achieving as much as 99 percent in door-to-door, on-time deliveries. Over the last 10 years, BNSF has spent approximately $30 billion to improve its infrastructure and expand its locomotive fleet. At the end of 2007, BNSF operated on about 32,000 miles of track. Of this amount, almost 5,000 miles is double tracked, including most of the Southern Transcon. Better rail with better engines played a large role in improving efficiency.


Marcon acts as broker
in ASD tug transaction

COUPEVILLE, WA — Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, Washington reports the second of three newbuilding Robert Allan Ltd. "Ulupinar" design 40 tonne bollard pull, ASD tugs has been delivered by Sanmar Denizcilik Makina of Tuzla, Turkey to Remolcadores Dominicanos of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Delivery of the third tug is scheduled for the first quarter of 2010. Marcon acted as sole broker in the transaction.


Trucking association releases
long haul safety publication

ARLINGTON, VA — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has released Safety for the Long Haul, a comprehensive text on large truck safety. The book, written by Dr. Ron Knipling, encompasses more than 100 specific topics relating to large truck crash risk, causation, countermeasures, safety management and safety policy. Published by ATA, Safety for the Long Haul is written for safety managers, fleet managers and executives, government and industry officials, researchers and other transportation safety professionals. Safety For the Long Haul can be purchased at www.ATABusinessSolutions.com or by calling 1-866-821-3468 (toll free). The book is part of the ATA Business Solutions line of products, webinars, and services.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, April 3, 2009

Vancouver Port Commission
holding live town hall forum

VANCOUVER, USA — The Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners will host a live, multi-media town hall forum on Tuesday, April 7 at 7 p.m. in the port’s Commission Chambers in the Administration Building, located at 3103 NW Lower River Road. The forum will be cablecast live on CVTV Channel 23, and streamed live on www.cvtv.org, as well. The forum will have a live audience. Viewers can participate during the live broadcast by emailing their questions to info@portvanusa.com, or by calling 360-693-3611. The event will end at 8:30 p.m., but the port will continue to take questions on-line after the event is over. Commissioners Nancy Baker, Jerry Oliver and Brian Wolfe – as well as Executive Director Larry Paulson – will be on hand to take questions from the live audience and from CVTV viewers. The forum will be moderated by The Columbian’s Business Editor Julia Anderson. Advance questions are currently being accepted via email, and will be included in the questions sent in during the live forum.


Crowley continues string
of new vessel deliveries

JACKSONVILLE, FL — In the wake of the christening and launching of its newest heavy-lift-series deck barge Saturday in Portland, on April 2, Crowley took delivery of its newest Articulated Tug Barge (ATB) - the tug COMMITMENT and barge 650-6 in Pascagoula, Miss. The 185,000-barrel ATB, the 10th in Crowley's fleet, has been chartered by a major energy company to transport petroleum products on the U.S. West Coast beginning in April In less than a week, Crowley is scheduled to receive the NACHIK, a newly-designed Alaska shallow draft tug, equipped to safely propel petroleum/freight barges in river systems throughout Alaska. In May, Crowley with also take delivery of the NACHIK's sister tug, the SESOK.


Month of March sees drop
in US rail freight traffic

WASHINGTON, DC — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was down again during March, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. U.S. railroads originated 1,082,514 carloads of freight in March 2009, down 17.3 percent (226,279 carloads) from March 2008. U.S. intermodal rail traffic, which consists of trailers and containers on flat cars and is not included in carload figures, totaled 729,033 units in March 2009, down 14.9 percent (127,371 trailers and containers) compared to March 2008. For the first three months of 2009, total U.S. rail carloadings were down 16.3 percent (636,192 carloads) to 3,259,097 carloads, while intermodal traffic was down 15.5 percent (411,802 units) to 2,243,491 trailers and containers. Total volume was estimated as 345.8 billion ton-miles, down 15.2 percent from a year ago. Of the 19 major commodity categories tracked by the AAR, 18 saw carload declines in March. (The catch-all “all other” category was the only one to show an increase in March.) In March, carloads of coal were down 6.7 percent (39,159 carloads); carloads of motor vehicles and equipment were down 41.4 percent (30,648 carloads); carloads of metals and metal products were down 56.2 percent (30,001 carloads); and carloads of chemicals were down 20.3 percent (25,432 carloads). For the first quarter of 2009, U.S. rail carloadings of coal were down 4.2 percent (73,136 carloads) to 1,649,373 carloads. Other commodities fared much worse, including motor vehicles and equipment (down 51.8 percent, or 116,887 carloads), metals and metal products (down 52.1 percent, or 82,323 carloads), and grain (down 22.4 percent, or 68,286 carloads).


Insurance club board
passes on supplementary call

LONDON — Members of The Swedish Club will not incur a supplementary call for the P&I policy year 2008/09. This decision was taken by the club’s board, meeting in Singapore on April 2. Late last year The Swedish Club took action to counter a number of highly adverse trends. This was triggered by developments beyond control including substantial investment losses (in common with all clubs) and an unbalanced pool liability record (arising from a highly unlikely deviation from statistical norms). The above factors combined with changes and anticipated changes in International Group rules for pool claims liabilities necessitated action. In response, The Swedish Club’s Board decided in December 2008 to make supplementary calls for the P&I policy years 2006/07 and 2007/08. A decision concerning 2008/09 was deferred until the April board meeting, to allow more time for an unprecedented global financial situation to clarify.


Horizon Lines assists
cement canoe racers

HONOLULU — Engineering students from 12 universities around the country have begun competing in the conference finals of the American Society of Civil Engineers' 22nd Annual ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition. The winner of these races will earn a spot in the national championships in North Carolina this June. Before the concrete canoes could begin their sail to the finish line, however, they had to get to the starting line. Working together, Horizon Lines, LLC, and Horizon Logistics, LLC, coordinated the door-to-door delivery of the competition canoes from inland points in the continental United States to the Port of Los Angeles for ocean voyage aboard a Horizon Lines container vessel to Honolulu and on to final destination at the University of Hawaii. Horizon Logistics coordinated with several service providers to secure the best pricing for the project and Horizon Lines arranged for transpacific carriage to Hawaii.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, April 2, 2009

Port of Port Angeles eyes
feasibility of motorsports park

PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles reports that although the development of a new motorsports park near the City of Forks is feasible, the most critical challenge would be the capital costs for facility development. The port contracted with SE Group to conduct a preliminary feasibility study for a Motorsports Park in Forks. The study concluded: 1) a new motorsports park is technically feasible, but 2) facility development would invove significant capital costs.


24 Hrs: (503) 285-2485 Office: (360) 835-3780
Toll Free: 1-877-WCMCINC Fax: (360) 835-7354


Schnitzer Steel reports
second quarter '09 numbers

PORTLAND — Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. has reported revenues of $434 million and a net loss of $7 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, for the fiscal 2008 second quarter ended February 28, 2009. Despite the quarterly net loss, the company generated $91 million in cash from operations. “The markets in the second quarter remained extremely challenging,” said Tamara Lundgren, president and chief executive officer. “The global economic downturn continued, and the demand for finished steel products and the raw materials used in making steel remained weak. However, our export platform, which allows us to sell to the regions of the world where demand is greatest, continued to provide a benefit as we were able to take advantage of overseas markets which offered better net pricing than the domestic markets."


Mitsui making changes,
adding new service offerings

TOKYO — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced a New Asia - West Africa Service via Suez and a New Asia - Indian Ocean Islands (IOI) / South Africa - West Africa service. MOL will change the current Asia - West Africa service from the West Africa Super Express service (WA1) to a New Asia - West Africa service via Suez using a new Europe / West Africa feeder service. At the same time, MOL will introduce a new service, the Indian Ocean Islands, South Africa, West Africa dedicated container service (ISW), which will improve Asia - IOI and South Africa - West Africa trades. For the Asia - West Africa trade via Suez, MOL will have 2 feeder loops between Europe and West Africa, one of which is dedicated for Lagos, which suffers heavy port congestion. The other feeder service will newly cover Dakar (Senegal) and Cotonou (Benin), two major ports in West Africa. MOL will use the China / Europe service (SCX) as the trunk line connecting to the Europe / Lagos feeder (North loop) via Zeebrugge (Belgium). For the Europe / West Africa feeder (South loop), MOL will use the Japan / China / Europe service (JEX) as the trunk line connecting at Tangier (Morocco). The New ISW service newly calls at Reunion (France), Walvis Bay (Namibia), and Lobito (Angola), which are main ports in these areas, but are currently not covered by the existing West Africa Super Express service (WA1) which will be suspended.


Matson Navigation boosting
China/Long Beach Express run

OAKLAND — Matson Navigation Company has announced that it is expanding its presence in China to include the southern port of Xiamen in the company’s China – Long Beach Express (CLX). With the additional port call, Matson will provide the Xiamen region with a number of service features that have made Matson’s CLX service among the best in the Transpacific trade, including industry leading on time arrivals, next day cargo availability on the West Coast and one-stop intermodal connections through Matson’s logistics unit, Matson Integrated Logistics. Matson’s service from Ningbo and Shanghai will remain unchanged.


Coast Guard seeks input
on proposed navigation area rule

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard is re-opening the period for public comment on its proposed rule to establish Regulated Navigation Areas along the Oregon and Washington coasts by holding two public meetings. The first meeting will be held in Astoria, Ore., April 14, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at:

The Loft at the Red Building, 20 Basin Street, Astoria, OR 97103, (503) 325-2223.

The second meeting will be held in Newport, Ore., on April 15, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at:

The Embarcadero Resort Hotel & Marina, 1000 SE Bay Blvd., Newport, OR 97365, (541) 265-8521 or 1-800-547-4779.

The Coast Guard encourages the public to view the final rule at 74 FR 7022 and to participate in this rulemaking by submitting comments and related materials to the docket at http://www.regulations.gov, docket number: USCG-2008-1017. All comments received will be posted without change. All comments must be received by the Coast Guard no later than April 19, 2009.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Port of Seattle plan would
support maritime cargo customers

SEATTLE — Port of Seattle staff members have presented commissioners with a plan that would support its maritime cargo customers during the global economic recession by reducing fees and deferring some payments. Port staff also proposed a new clean trucks program aimed at keeping older, more polluting trucks off roads and Port terminals. Taken together, these actions will help to protect the economic and environmental interests of the region. The relief package is focused on terminal operators whose revenues depend on the number of containers they handle. Port cargo was down 37 percent in February 2009 as consumer spending continued to drop, endangering the jobs that cargo generates. Seattle’s maritime cargo industry supports over 135,000 jobs throughout the state - jobs that are crucial to the health of the state’s economy. The customer support program, subject to Commission approval, would go into effect from June 2009 to June 2010, although adjustments may be made as economic conditions change. The package offered to Seattle terminal operators is proportionally similar to what Los Angeles and Long Beach have offered their terminal operators. The Port of Seattle will continue to demonstrate its environmental commitment by contributing $2.3 million to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA). The port would donate the funds for programs that reduce diesel emission from maritime sources, including ocean going vessels, trucks, and cargo handling equipment. Additional funds available from other sources will be used to replace older trucks with newer, cleaner retrofits that produce less pollution.


Port of Vancouver, USA
has successful bond sale

VANCOUVER, USA — The Port of Vancouver USA recently announced the successful sale of $25.8 million in limited tax general obligation bonds for the acquisition of industrial property, capital improvement and refinancing outstanding bonds. The port, on March 19, sold $15 million in new bonds to fund the purchase of the Alcoa property and help fund major construction projects like the West Vancouver Freight Access rail project. Some of the bond proceeds were used to complete the acquisition of the 218 acres formerly used for the smelting and extruding operations of Alcoa and Evergreen Aluminum. The port’s purchase of the Alcoa property closed earlier this week. That property will be turned into the port’s new Terminal 5. Construction of a unit train rail facility and wind energy storage area are expected to begin later this year. At full buildout, the port expects the new Terminal 5 could bring as many as 1,000 new jobs to the community. In December, the port sold $32.55 million in bonds, which fell less than $8 million short of what the port was hoping to raise. The total of $47.55 million will pay for property purchase and major capital improvements. With the $10.8 million remaining from the March bond sale, the port will refinance outstanding bonds in the same amount. This refinance will save the port approximately $275.928. The port commission voted unanimously at its regular meeting on March 10 to approve this action.


Barge involved in allision
with Hood River Bridge

PORTLAND — Coast Guard Sector Portland is investigating a bridge allision involving the Tidewater Tug DEFIANCE and the Hood River Bridge on the Columbia River in Ore., March 28. At 3:20 a.m. the Tug DEFIANCE was pushing three barges ahead when one of the barges allided with the north pylon of the Hood River Bridge. Immediately following the incident, the Tug DEFIANCE and barges quickly moored upriver at the SDS Lumber facility in Bingen, Ore., to assess the damage. Crewmembers from Sector Portland worked with Tidewater in determining that the barge had sustained minor damage and is safe for continued cargo operations. The Port of Hood River inspected the bridge and found no damage. There is no current threat to the environment and the bridge remains open to all traffic.


Port of Port Angeles
studying new power facility

PORT ANGELES — The Port of Port Angeles has retained Carlson Small Power Consultants (CSPC) to conduct a feasibility study for a biomass power facility in the Forks area of Clallam County, WA. For a selected project site, the study is to include a complete financial model of revenues (power sales, steam sales and incentives) and costs (capital, financing, operating, maintenance and fuel) for an appropriately-sized facility. The study does not include a major effort to identify and cost various sources of available fuel.


Votes now being accepted
for PDX 'Super Hero' contest

PORTLAND — Three finalists are in the running for the top prize in the "Be a Local Super Hero" video contest promoting Portland International Airport’s nonstop services to Europe and Asia. Selected from a field of 55 one-minute qualifying video entries, the three finalists are:

• I want to go to Tokyo by Clint Fanney

• Super William by William Bahrenburg

• It’s What Super Heroes Do by Bryan Rosenberger

Fans are asked to cast their vote for the video which provides the best motivation for "flying overseas from PDX in a single bound" at www.flypdx.com by midnight on Friday, April 3. Prize winners will be announced Monday, April 6, on KGW’s LIVE @ 7 program and on www.flypdx.com . The video receiving the most public votes will be the grand prize winner.