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August, 2008

NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, August 29, 2008

Two giant pipe sections
moving through Port of Everett

EVERETT — Construction activity on the largest Puget Sound clean water project in more than four decades will temporarily affect marine traffic from Everett to Shoreline beginning the evening of Sept. 7. Boaters in the lower Snohomish River and nearby Puget Sound waters should expect short-term impacts to marine traffic as the installation of the Brightwater treatment plant’s 600-foot-deep marine outfall and twin mile-long pipes gets under way. On Sept. 7, tugboats are scheduled to tow the first of two mile-long pipelines down the Snohomish River from an assembly site at the Port of Everett and out past Jetty Island and the 10th Street Marina. From there, larger tugboats will tow the pipeline through Port Gardener and south to Point Wells near Shoreline, where it is expected to arrive early Tuesday morning. The second pipeline is scheduled to begin its trip down the Snohomish River a day later on the evening of Sept. 8. At Point Wells, workers will first attach both of the floating pipes to a recently constructed on-shore connector and then lower the outfall pipe to the seafloor. Work will continue around the clock at Point Wells until the installation of both outfall pipes is complete. Because the work is dependent on weather and tidal conditions, scheduled dates and times could change.


NAFTA partner trade
jumps up during June

WASHINGTON, DC — Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 6.6 percent higher in June 2008 than in June 2007, reaching $74.1 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 0.015 percent in June from May. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors. Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail and pipeline. About 88 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico this June was up 56.3 percent compared to June 2003, and up 97.3 percent compared to June 1998, a period of 10 years. Imports in June 2008 were up 106.4 percent compared to June 1998, while exports were up 86.8 percent.


US rail freight traffic volume
hits downside during week

WASHINGTON, DC — Total volume as measured in ton-miles was up slightly on U.S. railroads during the week ended August 16 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Total volume was estimated 35.2 billion ton-miles, up 0.6 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight in the week totaled 335,245 cars, off 0.8 percent from last year. Volume was up 1.3 percent in the West but down 3.7 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 237,034 trailers or containers, down 0.5 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was off 1.0 percent while container traffic slipped 0.4 percent. Seven of 19 carload commodities were up from a year ago. Metals were up 12.4 percent from last year while grain rose 9.5 percent and coal gained 5.1 percent. On the negative side, motor vehicles and equipment were down 30.6 percent, metallic ores dropped 23.2 percent and lumber and wood products fell 17.5 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 33 weeks of 2008 totaled 10,722,139 carloads, up 0.3 percent from 2007; 7,357,794 trailers or containers, down 2.9 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.11 trillion ton-miles, up 1.5 percent from last year.


General Dynamics delivers
new nuclear submarine to Navy

GROTON, CT — General Dynamics Electric Boat has delivered the NEW HAMPSHIRE (SSN-778), the nation's newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, to the U.S. Navy eight months ahead of schedule. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. NEW HAMPSHIRE is the fifth ship of the Virginia Class, the Navy's first major class of combatant ships designed with the post-Cold War security environment in mind. Virginia-class submarines embody warfighting and operational capabilities required to dominate the littorals while maintaining undersea dominance in the open ocean. Electric Boat and Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding have received contracts to build the first 10 submarines of a planned 30-ship Virginia Class under a teaming agreement that splits the construction workload between the two shipyards.


Port of Longview public entity
in removal of derelict vessel

LONGVIEW — In accordance with RCW (Revised Code of Washington) 79.100, the unnamed vessel at the mouth of Coal Creek Slough has been declared derelict, as that term is defined in RCW 79.100.010(5). The Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership has asked the Port of Longview to act as the authorized public entity for the vessel removal. The Estuary Partnership will complete the actual removal of the vessel while the Port of Longview will function as the official authorized public entity. The authority granted in RCW 79.100, allows the authorized public entity to take custody the vessel and dispose of it in any appropriate and environmentally sound manner without further notice to the owner. In order for the owner to retain custody of the vessel, the owner must 1) pay the costs associated with the vessel’s haul-out and storage, 2) provide the Port of Longview with proof of a legal moorage or storage location for the vessel, 3) store the vessel in a location that meets any USCG requirements such as an inspection or tow plan, or 4) remove the vessel from the water.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Coast Guard set to enforce
large cargo vessel response plans

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Coast Guard has announced the beginning of enforcement of the requirements for owners and operators of large cargo vessels, known as nontank vessels, to prepare and submit plans for responding to a worst case oil spill from their vessels. Should a nontank vessel be found operating in a U.S. port or waterway without a properly submitted response plan, the cognizant Coast Guard Captain of the Port will exercise authority under the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972 and impose operational controls, as necessary, on the vessel to safeguard the port. The Coast Guard published a Federal Register Notice on June 23, 2008, informing nontank vessel owners and operators that the Coast Guard will begin actively enforcing the 2004 Act by screening all nontank vessels prior to their port arrival for plan submission. Each plan, among other things, ensures by contract or other approved means the availability of private personnel and equipment necessary to remove to the maximum extent practicable a worst case discharge (including a discharge resulting from a fire or explosion), and to mitigate or prevent a substantial threat of such a discharge. It also describes the training, equipment testing, periodic unannounced drills and response actions of the crew. A nontank vessel is described as a self-propelled vessel of 400 gross tons or greater that operates on the navigable waters of the U.S., carries oil of any kind as fuel for main propulsion and is not a tank vessel. Tank vessels are required to have response plans under 33 CFR part 155, subpart D, and are currently screened by the Coast Guard for compliance prior to port entry.


Port of Bremerton holds first
citizen committee meeting

BREMERTON — The first meeting of a citizen committee to help advise the Port of Bremerton Commission on their recently approved Community Outreach and Public Participation (COPP) policy was held on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at the terminal building at Bremerton National Airport. Earlier this year, the Bremerton Port Commission adopted the COPP policy with a goal of enabling citizens, business persons and other stakeholders of the port district to become better informed and engaged in port business and its processes. One method of advancing this goal was to form a citizen committee to work with Commissioner Bill Mahan and port staff members to provide input and feedback to the commission on the COPP. Commissioner Bill Mahan asked that the group review the policy and suggest any amendments or revisions to the commission. Members of the citizen group include Bremerton resident John Hanson: Seabeck resident Robert Moyer; and South Kitsap residents Ardena Miller, Roger Jensen, and Clarke Coulter. Discussion points of the meeting included possible televising of public meetings, port website improvements, written published community reports, advanced public meeting notice, public document access and public comment opportunities. The committee will meet again on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. in the conference room in the terminal building at Bremerton National Airport. Any interested members of public are welcome to attend.


"K" Line adding service
calling US East Coast/Amazon

TOKYO — Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) will launch a new feeder service between East Coast of the United States and Amazon region in Brazil from October 2008. The service will be jointly operated with their partner Bringer Lines (located in Miami, Florida, USA) by deployment of 2 x 500TEU type vessels on a bi-weekly basis. The first sailing will be the M/V BAGHIRA ETA Savannah on October 17. The expected port roration is: Savannah (Fri-Sat) / Port Everglades (Sun-Sun) / Manaus (Thu-Sat) / Vila do Conde (Tue-Wed) / Savannah (Fri-)


Port group taps Anchorage
as annual convention location

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As the largest city in Alaska and home to one of the nation's 19 "strategic" seaports, Anchorage will be the site of the American Association of Port Authorities' (AAPA) 97th Annual Convention and Exhibition, Sept. 21-25. The "North to Alaska"-themed convention, the first to be held in Anchorage's brand-new downtown Dena'ina Civic & Convention Center, will attract hundreds of seaport and maritime transportation leaders, industry experts and service providers to participate in a business agenda featuring many of the seaport industry's key issues and top executives. Additional information about AAPA's 97th Annual Convention and Exhibition, including the business program agenda is available at http://www.aapa2008.com/.


Port of Anacortes marina
earns Clean Marina designation

ANACORTES — The Clean Marina Washington Program recently recognized the Port of Anacortes’ Cap Sante Boat Haven as a Certified Clean Marina for their excellence in pollution prevention to protect water quality and properly manage waste, and for promoting clean boating practices. In addition, Clean Marina Washington recognized the Port of Anacortes’ commitment, innovation and regional leadership with the Clean Marina Leadership Award. Clean Marina Washington is a partnership between marine businesses, government agencies and environmental advocates. Cap Sante Boat Haven joins a network of 34 marinas working to protect Washington waterways that are currently certified in Washington State. There are hundreds more marinas in similar programs around the country. Cap Sante Boat Haven has earned the right to “fly the flag”, a new blue and white “Clean Marina” burgee.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Everett port board Oks
contract for MSRC remodel

EVERETT — On Aug. 12, the Everett Port Commission approved a design contract with Everett-based Gary Parkinson Architects in the amount of $200,000 for the remodel and expansion of the Marine Service and Repair Center (MSRC) building. The MSRC building is located in the port’s Craftsmen District between 10th and 13th Street and West Marine View Drive. The remodel would include converting and expanding the current 34,000 square foot concrete building on the waterfront into a 52,000 square foot retail and repair center for the marina-related services. The building would be modified into a two-story structure, which will provide additional leasable space for Craftsmen tenants. Additionally, a 15,000 square foot office/retail addition will be added to the existing structure to serve as a buffer between the Craftsmen District and the Port Gardner Wharf development. Port Gardner Wharf is a 65-acre mixed use development that transforms a former industrial piece of property into a waterfront neighborhood.


Seattle Port Commission
votes in Resolution 3605

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle Commission has voted to approve Resolution 3605 which makes sweeping changes to how the commission delegates its authority throughout the organization. The new framework strengthens commission oversight of the port’s capital construction programs and clarifies when and how staff members must gain the body’s approval on port projects. This vote culminates a seven-month public process that included the involvement of an expert citizens panel, significant efforts to recruit public comment on how the commission could even more effectively govern the port, and transparent, regular communication efforts about the proposed changes. Commissioners Pat Davis and Gael Tarleton led the sub-committee; working with their peers to determine the best methods for ensuring effective, transparent oversight that accounted for the rapid pace and wide range of port activities. For the full text of the resolution, as well as an explanation of the process leading to the vote, visit http://www.portseattle.org/news/Accountability.shtml.


Truck tonnage index
falls again during July

ARLINGTON, VA — The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 0.3 percent in July, marking the first month-to-month drop since April. The seasonally adjusted tonnage index equaled 116.2 (2000 = 100) in July, while the not seasonally adjusted index fell 0.1 percent to 119.7. The seasonally adjusted index was 4.4 percent higher compared with July 2007, marking its ninth consecutive year-over-year increase, although the gain was a full percentage point lower than the improvement in June. Year-to-date, the index was up 3.6 percent compared with the same period in 2007. Tonnage contracted 1.7 percent and 1.5 percent in 2006 and 2007, respectively.


TSA bunker fuel surcharge
will hit record high September 1

OAKLAND — Container lines in the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) have confirmed that their floating bunker fuel surcharge, adjusted monthly according to a formula that tracks world fuel prices at key loading locations, will spike to a record level effective September 1. The higher surcharge reflects record fuel prices that topped $767 per ton in mid-July, up from $500 at the beginning of 2008 and $296 at the beginning of 2007. Responding to questions that have been raised as to why the bunker charge is increasing at a time when fuel prices have been falling, N.Y.K. Line vice president and TSA revenue policy committee member Bill Payne emphasized that each month’s surcharge reflects average fuel prices during a reporting period 30-60 days earlier. This is done to comply with U.S. law requiring a minimum 30 days’ advance notice to the market in the event a particular rate or surcharge is to be raised.


National Retail Systems
nets highest SmartWay score

SECAUCUS, NJ — National Retail Systems, Inc. (NRS), a provider of global logistics services to America's retailers, has achieved the highest possible environmental performance score from the SmartWay Transport Partnership formed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NRS' national truckload fleet operated by Keystone Freight Corp. and the company's LTL fleet operated by National Retail Transportation (NRT) both received the highest possible score of 1.25 during EPA's SmartWay FLEET performance evaluation. This places NRS among the transportation industry's environmental performance leaders according to the EPA. The SmartWay program is a collaborative effort by the EPA and the freight industry designed to increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. The partnership aims to achieve fuel savings of up to 150 million barrels of fuel per year, as well as annual reductions of up to 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and 200,000 tons of nitrous oxide by 2012.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, August 25, 2008

Greenbrier unhappy with DEQ
for fines against Gunderson

PORTLAND — Greenbrier reports that on August 15, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a press release announcing a fine of $254,000 against the Gunderson manufacturing operations. The fine is a result of a 2006 DEQ inspection that called attention to certain paint storage and disposal practices, which Greenbrier points out have been corrected as appropriate. According to the DEQ release, the largest part of the penalty, totaling $233,562, was for improper disposal of ignitable waste paint and paint containing the hazardous waste solvent toluene. DEQ determined that Gunderson had been disposing of these wastes in various solid waste containers on its property at 4350 NW Front Ave., instead of at a permitted hazardous waste disposal facility, from January 2004 to October 2006. DEQ also penalized Gunderson $12,800 for illegally treating hazardous waste. Specifically, Gunderson treated its ignitable waste paint and paint waste containing toluene in open containers, allowing a substantial amount of the volatile particles to escape into the air. DEQ penalized the company another $8,000 for failing to determine if the ignitable, epoxy paint waste and other generated paint wastes, used in the marine facility, were indeed hazardous. Tom Sass, Gunderson’s director of Community Affairs for Oregon commented, "We are very disappointed in the DEQ’s position concerning the October 2006 inspection. We feel the tone ofthe DEQ press release does not accurately characterize the scope and size of the alleged violations, or Gunderson’s positive history of compliance with environmental policy and laws. The amount of the proposed fine is disproportionate to what actually occurred on site; we have taken positive action to address the findings and practices the DEQ identified."


Sea-Tac Airport earns
environmental award

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle has announced the selection of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as the winner of the 2008 Environmental Achievement Award from Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA). The award in the Mitigation Category recognized Sea-Tac's Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program (CSMP) addressing stormwater issues for the airport's multi-year expansion project. Sea-Tac Airport's program was recognized as reflecting the priorities of an environmentally sensitive community by focusing on surface-water runoff quality, flooding and endangered salmon. Working cooperatively with local cities and regulatory agencies, using regional basin planning, optimizing systems and value engineering, achieved cost savings of $250 million.


Merchant Marine acadamies
sending graduates into workforce

WASHINGTON, DC — Only months after graduation ceremonies were held on campuses across the nation, approximately 85 percent of 2008 graduates with merchant marine licenses from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and six state maritime academies have found employment afloat in the maritime industry or in the U.S. military, according to data released by the Maritime Administration. Total employment for 2008 licensed graduates is already more than 95 percent. This number includes those who have found shoreside employment in the maritime industry. One of the academies, Great Lakes in Traverse City, Michigan, has placed 100 percent of its 2008 graduates in maritime afloat employment.


Maritime academy training ship
rescues two stranded fishermen

VALLEJO, CA — The California Maritime Academy’s 500-foot training ship GOLDEN BEAR rescued two California fishermen Sunday evening, August 17th, approximately 80 miles off the Monterey Peninsula. The two men departed the Santa Cruz area earlier that day in an open 17-foot skiff, equipped with a single outboard engine. They told authorities they were heading for offshore fishing grounds when their engine seized up. They then radioed for help to the U.S. Coast Guard in San Francisco. The Coast Guard issued a call to vessels in the vicinity of the stricken boat asking if they could proceed to the scene. The GOLDEN BEAR was approximately 50 miles away at the time, heading northward on the final leg of its annual three-and-a-half-month summer training cruise to ports in the western and southern Pacific. Aboard were 200 students from Cal Maritime and the Texas Maritime Academy and approximately 40 staff and crew.


Port of Olympia tours part of
annual Harbor Days celebration

OLYMPIA — Come and learn about the Port of Olympia’s Marine Terminal, Saturday, August 30, as part of the annual Harbor Days celebration. Guided walking tours are scheduled at 12:00 noon, 1:00 and 2:00 pm and will begin at the Port Plaza on Budd Inlet. Tours will last approximately ½ hour. Visitors will be able to see first-hand some of the diverse cargoes handled by the port and displays of equipment.For information or to sign up for a tour, come to the port tent on Port Plaza beginning at 11:00 a.m. the day of the event or call 360-528-8000. The tours are only one attraction at Port Plaza during Harbor Days. The tall ships LADY WASHINGTON and HAWAIIAN CHIEFTAIN will be available for dockside tours at the Port Plaza dock during the weekend. For information, contact Harbor Days at www.harbordays.com.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, August 22, 2008

Oregon governor talks to STB
about Coos Bay rail service

SALEM — Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski has testified to the federal Surface Transportation Board urging the board to reject the proposal from RailAmerica to abandon a portion of the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad (CORP) Coos Bay rail line. He also urged the board to accept a proposal by the Port of Coos Bay to purchase the line to prevent economic hardship for Coos Bay and the surrounding communities. “The sudden shutdown of the Coos Bay line of the CORP railroad by RailAmerica has created great uncertainty for companies in this region,” Governor Kulongoski said. “This uncertainty cannot continue – and the answer is that rail service must be restored. To do anything less is unfair and unjust for the citizens in this community who rely on this railroad to provide for themselves and their families.” The rail line was closed in September 2007 by RailAmerica who cited safety concerns due to deteriorating tunnel conditions. The repair costs were estimated to be $2.9 million by RailAmerica, but the company asked for over $18 million from the state and local communities to fix their railroad, along with $16 million in future funding to help with operating costs and to continue capital improvements to the line. In attempt to get the line operational again, the governor offered to help develop a long-term solution if RailAmerica would repair the tunnels and get freight moving. RailAmerica rejected that offer. In response to the abandonment effort, the Port of Coos Bay has submitted a proposal to purchase the line and keep it open.


Coast Guard pilots training
at Air Station Port Angeles

SEATTLE — Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., has commenced training select pilots and crewmembers for its new airborne use of force capability. This specialized training is part of the Coast Guard's enhanced homeland defense mission. The public may see Coast Guard helicopters maneuvering above Coast Guard small boats in the Strait of Juan De Fuca as part of this training program. The majority of training is conducted using blanks. Live fire training is conducted, but only as a scheduled event in designated Department of Defense warning areas or land-based DOD ranges. Coast Guard crews issue a notice to mariners prior to conducting a gunnery exercise. Following the attacks of Sept. 11, the Coast Guard faced a renewed call to provide increased maritime and force projection for homeland security missions. From this grew the concept of expanding and arming select Coast Guard aviation forces to provide an airborne use of force capability. This enhanced mission is varied in nature and threat based; a crew may provide security zone enforcement, conduct armed patrols of critical infrastructure or provide aerial cover for vessel boarding teams. Arming select Coast Guard helicopter crews enhances the Coast Guard's ability to react to maritime security threats, better protecting the nation. This capability also provides operational commanders with an increased capability to perform maritime security duties.


Public meeting to discuss
Coos Bay jetty repair project

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will explain the upcoming interim repairs to the north jetty at Coos Bay, Ore., at an informational meeting Wednesday, Aug. 27. The meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Ave., North Bend, Ore. Corps representatives will share information about the repair work to the north jetty and be available after the meeting to answer questions. The Corps will repair three damaged areas on the north jetty beginning Sept. 16. Damage sustained in last winter’s storms has made the jetty particularly vulnerable to a breach in future storms, which would have a substantial impact on navigational use of the area. Jetty failure would result in sediment blocking the navigation channel or making its use unsafe. Foredune Road will be closed from Sept. 16 until completion of the project or March 15, 2009, whichever is sooner. Additionally, a 10-acre parking area across Trans Pacific Parkway, southwest of the Bureau of Land Management’s boat ramp, will be closed for use as a construction staging area beginning around Aug. 26 through project completion. The date of this closure is dependant on the timing of the contract award. The draft Environmental Assessment is available for review on the Corps’ Web site at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pm/e/en_plan_assess.asp.


US rail freight traffic
drops during week

WASHINGTON, DC — Both carload and intermodal freight were down slightly on U.S. railroads during the week ended August 9 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Carload freight in the week totaled 328,281 cars, off 0.1 percent from last year. Volume was up 1.2 percent in the West but down 2.0 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 233,948 trailers or containers, down 1.4 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was up 0.3 percent while container traffic slipped 1.9 percent. Total volume was estimated at 34.2 billion ton-miles, the same as during the 32nd week of 2007. Seven of 19 carload commodities were up from a year ago, with metallic ores gaining 49.5 percent, metals rising 5.3 percent and coal up 5.1 percent. On the negative side, motor vehicles and equipment were down 29.6 percent, lumber and wood products fell 16.9 percent and farm products other than grain dropped 16.5 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 32 weeks of 2008 totaled 10,386,894 carloads, up 0.3 percent from 2007; 7,120,760 trailers or containers, down 3.0 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.08 trillion ton-miles, up 1.5 percent from last year.


Travel Expo event
at Sea-Tac Airport

SEATTLE — Sea-Tac Airport's restaurants, shops and service providers will host the Sea-Tac Travel Expo with Rick Steves, Sunday, September 7, 2 - 5 p.m., at the Gina Marie Lindsey International Arrivals Hall. Rick Steves, an internationally-known author on European travel, and host of the PBS series "Rick Steves' Europe," will share first-hand experiences, excerpts from his best selling travel books and present his most up-to-date travel advice of the best in European travel. Rick will also be available for book signings between presentations. There will be demonstrations by an adventure travel packing expert, prizes and giveaways by airport shops, and free food sampling by airport restaurants, including:
Tips on smart packing and travel gear from ExOfficio
Rick Steves and other travel publications for sale at Borders Books and a book signing by Mr. Steves.
Free food samples from airport restaurants including Anthony's, Kathy Casey Dish D'lish, Ivar's, , and many others
Scandinavian Airlines will be giving away two free round trip tickets to any of its nearly 80 destinations in Europe.
The event is free and open to the public, and $2 event parking will be available in the Airport Garage.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, August 21, 2008

Bellingham Port Commission
Oks university's move to waterfront

BELLINGHAM — For the past several years, Western Washington University (WMU) and the Port of Bellingham have been working together to bring Western to the waterfront. On August 19, the port's Board of Commissioners approved a motion for the port to move forward in creating a special development entity that would be charged with executing this development project. Western's Board of Trustees approved a similar measure earlier this month. The board approvals authorize the port and university to enter into an Interlocal Agreement to create this new organization. In future meetings both boards will be asked to approve an annual operating budget, bylaws and development concepts. Western is seeking to expand to the waterfront to meet opportunities of growing enrollment and to attract additional public and private partners to this project. Western has a smaller campus than most state colleges and universities and has no more space on its existing campus to build more facilities. Western also has been focused on establishing stronger connections with the off-campus community and it plans to move several programs including Huxley College of the Environment to The Waterfront District. A move to the waterfront by WWU has already begun through a partnership with the port within the Innovation Partnership Zone in the old GP tissue warehouse and with university offices in the Old port Office building at the site. Western would like to develop 12-16 acres of the 220-acre area that makes up The Waterfront District.


Foss looks for Green Passport
for new low emission hybrid tug

SEATTLE — Foss Maritime Company has contracted with Lloyd’s Register North America, Inc. to obtain a Green Passport certification for its low emission hybrid tug as part of its ongoing commitment to safeguarding the environment. The vessel, which will be the first tug in North America with a Green Passport certification, is being built at Foss’ shipyard in Rainier, Oregon, and is scheduled to begin operation in southern California in fall 2008. The tug design was awarded the EPA’s 2008 Clean Air Excellence Award for Clean Air Technology. The Green Passport is a document that contains an inventory of all the materials onboard a ship that may be hazardous to people’s health or the environment, and that require careful handling or special awareness. The record accompanies the ship throughout its operational life. Every five years, it is reviewed and recertified. At the end of the ship's life, it helps the ship recycling yard to formulate a safe and environmentally friendly way of decommissioning the ship.


Roundtable meeting set
to discuss Hillsboro Airport

PORTLAND — The Hillsboro Airport Issues Roundtable meets from 5:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3 in room 113 B/C of the Civic Center at 150 E. Main Street in Hillsboro. The public is encouraged to attend the meeting; public comment is welcome. The agenda includes a discussion about subcommittee formation and planning so that HAIR can make a recommendation on solutions for the Port of Portland to pursue in terms of flight monitoring at Hillsboro Airport. Additionally the committee will hear an update on the land use subcommittee work, review the schedule for the environmental assessment of the proposed parallel runway and review planning details for the 2008 airport open house. There will be time for public comment and questions. The city of Hillsboro donates space for the meetings in its downtown Civic Center. Free parking is available, and the site is accessible by the TriMet MAX Blue Line at the Hatfield Government Center Station.


Crowley earns awards
for liner/logistics units

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Crowley Maritime Corporation's liner services and logistics units have been named among the "Best of the Best" in Logistics Management magazine's 25th Annual Quest for Quality Awards. The results were published in the August edition of the magazine. Crowley was ranked second overall among ocean carriers. Additionally, the company made the list of top 3PLs for the first time in their logistics unit's 10-year history. The results are part of an extensive survey involving responses from over 6,000 magazine readers who have responsibility for buying transportation and third party services. In order to be named a leader in each category, a company had to receive at least five percent of the category vote. In the ocean carrier segment, Crowley ranked No. 2 overall, when judged for on-time performance, value, information technology, customer service and equipment and operations.


Port of Tacoma inks
new guide for truckers

TACOMA — The Port of Tacoma has produced a new foldout Trucker's Guide brochure. Designed to fit in the glove box, the full-color brochure features important information, including contact phone numbers for all port terminals, as well as regional truck stops, service locations and highway permit locations. The brochure also provides detailed pick-up and delivery information, along with critical information about port security. On the back is an 18-inch x 24-inch detail map of the port industrial area. To order free copies, visit the port's online order form at: http://www.portoftacoma.com/Page.aspx?cid=1653


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Seattle Port Commissioners
hold joint meeting with city council

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle Commission held a joint work session with the Seattle City Council August 18, to discuss several issues crucial to the economic and environmental health of the region. The meeting, held at City Hall, was the first joint meeting between the two groups since 2004. The groups considered ways to partner on key issues for the region, such as transportation infrastructure, freight mobility, environmentally sustainable business practices, and industrial land use. In addition, commissioners provided an overview of Port developments, including growth of the cruise industry and the pending return of Terminal 30 to container use in 2009. Commissioners and council members also discussed the competitive threats facing the Port of Seattle: Newly developed facilities at Prince Rupert in Canada and an expanded Panama Canal could pull cargo away from the Pacific Northwest – and with that cargo, some of the more than 200,000 jobs that port activities generate. Both groups pledged to work together to increase Seattle's position as a global gateway for trade, bringing goods in for markets across the nation and sending Washington products out to the world. The Seattle Port Commission will hold a second joint meeting with the Port of Tacoma Commission in October. The two ports held their first-ever joint meeting earlier this year, in April.


Ports America Group
taps Telman as general counsel

ISELIN, NJ — Ports America Group has announced the appointment of Deborah H. Telman to the position of general counsel at the company’s Iselin, N.J., headquarters. Prior to joining Ports America Group, Ms. Telman served as chief counsel for mergers and acquisitions at The Boeing Company in Chicago (2002-2008). She led Boeing teams in the execution of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures and advised the company on corporate finance and pension management matters. Ms. Telman’s additional legal experience included a partnership at Winston & Strawn and working as an attorney at Hopkins & Sutter, both located in Chicago. She acquired financial experience while working at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch in New York before earning her J.D. from Boston University School of Law.


New softwood lumber rules
put on hold for 30 days

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s office of international trade has advised the trade community of a 30-day grace period for implementation of the new Softwood Lumber Act of 2008 reporting requirements. The new law requires importers to provide additional data elements to CBP for all importations of softwood lumber and softwood lumber products, as described in the act. The data collection was to take effect 60 days after the enactment of the legislation on August 18, but the interim rule implementing the act was not published by that date. In order to permit the trade sufficient time to comply with the requirements in the act, the data collection will not begin until September 18. As a result of the delayed implementation, importations of softwood lumber subject to the Softwood Lumber Act of 2008 made between August 18 and September 17 will not be rejected based on any Softwood Lumber Act of 2008 requirements. In addition, entries of softwood lumber subject to the act made between August 18 and September 17 will not be amended nor supplemented to provide the three new data elements.


Seven year old boy caught
making false distress calls

SEATTLE — Coast Guard Sector Seattle received two distress calls via VHF channel 16 from a 7-year-old boy in Maple Valley, Wash., August 17. In the first call, received at noon, the boy stated that he was drowning. At 6 p.m. he made a second call saying his boat had a hole in it and was sinking. The watch stander at Sector Seattle was able to get a partial address from the child and both times the child gave his name. The address collaborated with the Coast Guard's Rescue 21 lines of bearings received from communications high sites. King County deputies were able to locate the child's home in Maple Valley using the partial address. The child admitted to the deputies that he made the distress calls while his father was asleep. It is a federal felony for anyone to knowingly and willfully communicate a false distress message to the Coast Guard or cause the Coast Guard to attempt to save lives and property when no help is needed. Penalties include up to six years in prison, $250,000 fine, $5,000 civil penalty, and possible reimbursement to the Coast Guard for costs of the search.


Coast Guard eyes rule changes
for domestic passenger vessels

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Coast Guard's Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship Directorate announced the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend Coast Guard regulations governing the stability of domestic passenger vessels. The changes proposed would affect the process that determines the maximum number of passengers a vessel may safely carry with primary focus on updating the average weight per person. This average weight per person is one of several factors used to determine compliance with applicable intact stability, subdivision, and damage stability requirements for a vessel and the resulting number of passengers that may be carried. Updating the regulations to more accurately reflect today's average weight per person will maintain vessel stability safety standards. This rulemaking follows the completion of studies addressing the potential impact of increased passenger weight standards on regulated vessels. These studies, along with comments and recommendations received from naval architects, shipbuilders, passenger vessel owners and operators, and the general public, will be considered in the rulemaking process. The Coast Guard encourages the public to participate in this rulemaking by submitting comments and related materials to the docket at http://www.regulations.gov, docket number: USCG-2007-0030. All comments received will be posted without change.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, August 18, 2008

Port of Longview begins
wind cargo export services

LONGVIEW — The Port of Longview recently added wind energy cargo exporting services to their growing resume. The port is pleased to be among the few ports that have provided this service. For several weeks Acciona wind blades arrived at the port from a manufacturing facility in North Dakota. When the last truck arrived, ILWU 21 longshore workers began loading the marine vessel SCAN ARCTIC with 48 wind blades bound for a wind project in Australia. "We are pleased to provide export blade handling services to Acciona," said Port of Longview Director of Marketing Valerie Harris. "This first export blade shipment adds a new dimension to our wind energy cargo handling business, and we hope to attract additional shipments of this type in the future." "The Port of Longview has proven to us that it is a major player in the American west coast cargo handling industry by having a great deal of service and flexibility, as well as providing us with great contacts within the Longview/ Kelso vicinity," said Acciona Supply Chain Analyst John McComas. The Port of Longview took possession of their new Liebherr LHM500S Mobile Harbor Crane in July.


Yang Ming directors
tap Lu as chairman

TAIWAN — In a board meeting held on August 1, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation has elected Dr. Frank F. H. Lu to succeed W. H. Huang as its chairman. A handing-over ceremony was held on the same day. Dr. Lu was conferred his PH.D in business management at National Chengchi University. He joined Yang Ming in 1971 as a junior employee and was promoted to president in April 1995. He endeavored to improve the company's structure and business performance, and carried out the company's privatization. Since September 2000, he had served as chairman of Taiwan Navigation Co., Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation and CSBC Corporation, Taiwan. The board meeting elected him unanimously for the chairmanship.


Port of Seattle slates hearing
on land exchange with WSDOT

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle will hold a public hearing to consider a proposed land exchange with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) during the regular meeting of the Port of Seattle Commission on Tuesday, August 26, at 4 p.m. in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the Airport Office Building, International Auditorium, Mezzanine Level South, Main Terminal, SeaTac, Washington. The proposed deal involving land exchange and lease agreements would enable WSDOT to proceed with the process of the future extension of SR 509 to connect with I-5. The proposed deal will reduce the cost of construction related to the Rental Care Facility, reduce the cost of completing improvements to the Northern Airport Expressway, allow the port to install and maintain approach lights for the Third Runway, and reduce the cost of future projects such as the reconstruction of Runway 16L/34R. The land exchange would include nine properties currently owned by the port transferred to WSDOT and three properties currently owned by WSDOT transferred to the port with airspace leases for four additional properties from WSDOT to the port. In October 2007, the port commission authorized the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with WSDOT to negotiate the transfer of properties needed by WSDOT for the SR 509 extension in exchange for the properties and airspace leases needed by the Port for current and future Aviation projects. The proposed Property Exchange Agreement and Airspace leases will facilitate the accomplishment of the MOU's intent.


NOAA decomissions
last wooden hulled ship in fleet

SEATTLE — NOAA ship JOHN N. COBB, the oldest and only wooden hulled ship in the NOAA fleet, was decommissioned August 13, in Seattle after 58 years of service. The 93-foot fisheries research vessel began service in 1950 with the Bureau of Fisheries, predecessor to NOAA’s Fisheries Service, conducting albacore tuna surveys in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Homeported in Seattle, The JOHN N. COBB has operated primarily in Alaskan waters for much of its service life, most recently in support of the fisheries service’s Auke Bay Laboratories in Juneau. JOHN N. COBB was designed as a purse-seiner, but added capabilities enabled the vessel to utilize almost every type of fishing method. The ship has conducted various types of data acquisition and research, including juvenile salmon marine ecology, juvenile rockfish habitat assessment, sablefish tagging and telemetry, marine mammal surveys, coral and sponge benthic habitat, habitat mapping of near-shore estuaries, and oceanographic sampling and long-term coastal monitoring.


Washington PTA board
slams Initiative 985

OLYMPIA — The Washington State PTA Board of Directors voted at its August board meeting to oppose I-985, which would transfer a portion of the sales tax from the state general fund to address transportation issues. According to the Office of Financial Management, the initiative could result in as much as $665 million being diverted from the general fund over a five year period. While some of the 18 board members were empathetic to the need to improve transportation, a significant majority voted to oppose the initiative because of concerns that the diversion of general fund moneys would result in unacceptable cuts to other programs, particularly K-12 education, health care and other programs that are important to children. Founded in 1905, the Washington State PTA is a nonprofit membership association which seeks to bring together the home, school and community on behalf of all children and youth.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, August 15, 2008

Port of Everett asks community
for input on communications

EVERETT — As part of its on-going commitment to informing and engaging the community, the Port of Everett recently conducted a telephone survey in mid-June to find out what residents know about the Port of Everett now, and what they would like to learn more about in the future. The port utilized a third party to complete more than 400 telephone interviews with individuals residing in the port’s taxing district which includes portions of Everett, Mukilteo, Marysville and Hat Island. “Community engagement is a priority for the port, and it was important that we went directly to our constituents to ask them their opinions regarding our current communication efforts,” Executive Director John Mohr said. “This is an important step for our planning process and our commitment to open communication. We certainly do appreciate the residents who were willing to participate and give us their preferences and priorities for port-related communications.” The results will later be used by the port to focus its communication and outreach efforts.


Freight transport index
posts gains during June

WASHINGTON, DC — The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) rose 0.1 percent in June from its May level, rising for the second consecutive month, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reports. For the first six months of 2008, the freight index advanced 2.9 percent, its largest increase for the first six months of the year since 2002. In 2007, the index dropped 0.4 percent in the first half of the year before rising about the same amount in the last six months to finish virtually unchanged for the year. Despite a big increase in May and a sharp decline in March, the freight index was at about the same level in June as in January. At 111.5 in June, the freight TSI was up 3.3 percent since its recent low of 108.0 in September 2007 but down 1.4 percent from its peak of 113.1 reached in November 2005. The freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in the output of services provided by the for-hire freight transportation industries. The index consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.


July positive month
for US rail freight carloads

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. railroads originated 1,606,877 carloads of freight in July 2008, up 16,825 carloads (1.1 percent) from July 2007. U.S. railroads also originated 1,125,795 intermodal trailers and containers in July 2008, a decrease of 25,645 units (2.2 percent) from July 2007, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Commodities showing carload gains in July 2008 included coal (up 28,716 carloads, or 4.3 percent, to 697,055 carloads); grain (up 8,010 carloads, or 7.2 percent, to 119,455 carloads); and chemicals (up 6,197 carloads, or 4.1 percent, to 156,871 carloads). Commodities showing carload declines in July 2008 included motor vehicles and equipment (down 17,248 carloads, or 22.2 percent, to 60,454 carloads); coke (down 8,358 carloads, or 29.7 percent, to 19,744 carloads); and lumber and wood products (down 3,744 carloads, or 17.1 percent, to 18,182 carloads). Seven of the 19 major commodity categories tracked by the AAR saw U.S. carload increases in July 2008 compared to July 2007. For the first seven months of 2008, total U.S. rail carloads were up 36,575 carloads (0.4 percent) to 10,058,613 carloads. Year-over-year traffic was up in coal (up 138,386 carloads, or 3.3 percent); grain (up 94,784 carloads, or 14.5 percent); and chemicals (up 30,606 carloads, or 3.3 percent), among others. Year-over-year traffic was down in motor vehicles and equipment (down 96,029 carloads, or 15.5 percent); coke (down 55,097 carloads, or 31.9 percent); and crushed stone, sand, and gravel (down 38,213 carloads, or 6.0 percent), among others.


New rules around corner
for softwood lumber importers

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s trade office has advised the trade community of new reporting requirements to ensure that importers comply with the Softwood Lumber Act of 2008. The new law requires importers to provide additional data elements to CBP for all importations of softwood lumber and softwood lumber products, as described in the act. The changes are to take effect on August 18, 60 days after the enactment of the legislation. Importers are required to provide CBP three additional data elements: an export price, estimated export charge, if any applies, and an importer declaration. These elements must be submitted for each line of imported softwood lumber and softwood lumber products subject to the Softwood Lumber Act of 2008 on the entry summary, CBP form 7501. CBP Form 7501 and any supporting documentation must be retained by the importer in accordance with CBP record keeping requirements and be produced upon request. These requirements apply to all shipments of softwood lumber and softwood lumber products described in the Softwood Lumber Act of 2008, regardless of country of origin or export.


NYK opens office
in St. Petersburg, Russia

TOKYO — NYK opened a representative office in St. Petersburg, Russia, on August 1. The office opens with a staff of two and will focus on promoting logistics, liner, car transport, harbor, and bulk and energy transport services throughout the Northwest Federal District. The NYK Group already has logistics subsidiaries established in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and also a liner subsidiary based in the country. Moreover, NYK is involved in two advanced LNG projects with JSC Sovcomflot, Russia's largest shipping company. NYK will continue to promote businesses in BRIC countries in accordance with the company's medium-term management plan, New Horizon 2010.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, August 14, 2008

Vancouver Port Commissioners
Ok nearly $6 million to speed cleanup

VANCOUVER, USA — The Port of Vancouver, USA Board of Commissioners has unanimously approved separate expenditures totaling nearly $6 million to expedite the cleanup of contaminated groundwater under port property, and the Fruit Valley neighborhood. During their meeting this week, Port Commissioners Brian Wolfe, Nancy Baker and Jerry Oliver voted 3-0 to authorize Executive Director Larry Paulson to sign a change order to a contract with Parametrix, Inc., amounting to $2.1 million. The first $600,000 of that amount will be spent – and is included in the port’s 2008 budget – this year, while the remaining $1.5 million will be budgeted for expense in 2009. The necessity of the change order is to support the port’s efforts to meet its obligations to the State Department of Ecology, including air and groundwater monitoring and completion of required project documents; oversee construction of the groundwater pump and treat interim action at the former Swan Manufacturing site; and manage the environmental obligations associated with the Cadet facility including appropriate reporting. When complete, the project will cost more than $30 million, most of which has been paid for by insurance settlements and money from the Washington Department of Ecology’s Model Toxic Control Act (MTCA), and will provide a clean source of drinking water for the community. In a related action, the commission also voted unanimously to authorize Mr. Paulson to sign a public works contract with Rotschy, Inc. (Yacolt, Wash.) for the construction of a TCE Groundwater Pump and Treat Interim Action Project, which will accelerate the next phase of the cleanup. This project was included in the 2008 capital budget as a part of TCE cleanup costs. The fiscal year 2008 budget includes $3.9 million for the cleanup system. The winning bid from Rotschy is for a not-to-exceed amount of $3,089,925.93.


KMBT hit with penalty
for ocean dumping violation

WASHINGTON, DC — Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals Incorporated (KMBT) has been sentenced for a felony violation of federal ocean protection laws before U.S. District Judge Garr M. King, the Justice Department announced. The court sentenced KMBT to pay a total penalty of $240,000. Of this amount, a total of $84,000 will fund various environmental projects in Oregon administered by the congressionally established National Fish and Wildlife Fund through the Oregon Governor's Fund for the Environment. KMBT, which is headquartered in Louisiana and runs a bulk terminal vessel loading facility in Portland, admitted to violating the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, more commonly known as the Ocean Dumping Act, which makes it a crime to knowingly transport or cause to be transported, without a permit, certain materials from the United States for the purpose of dumping the materials into ocean waters. The case arose from an investigation into KMBT's operation of a terminal in Portland. KMBT receives, stores and loads potash or potassium chloride, a substance used as a salt substitute or fertilizer, on behalf of a Canadian corporation at Terminal 5. The shipments of potash arrive in railcars where KMBT then loads it onto bulk cargo vessels for shipment overseas, oftentimes to Asia. In August 2003, KMBT received 160 metric tons of potash that inspectors determined had come into contact with water, rendering it unsellable. KMBT's night superintendent paid the master of the vessel taking on the load $1250 to load the wet, off-specification potash on the vessel's deck for later disposal into the ocean. In August 2007, the government located the master of the vessel, the J/A ALADDIN DREAM II, in Japan. The retired master had logbooks and was able to tell the Interpol investigator exactly where the crew dumped the potash into the ocean.


MarAd working with Hapag-Lloyd
to train US maritime cadets

WASHINGTON, DC — Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton and John M. Murray, president and chief executive officer of Hapag-Lloyd USA, LLC, recently signed an agreement for cadets from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and state maritime academies to take their training voyages on Hapag-Lloyd vessels. Maritime cadets must have sailing time on working vessels in order to qualify as licensed mariners. Currently, there is a worldwide shortage of licensed mariners, and U.S. maritime academies have geared up to train more students. Students will begin to serve on the foreign-flag vessels in October. This Memorandum of Agreement is the fifth such training agreement signed between the federal government and private industry. Previous agreements were with APL Liner, Ltd.; Overseas Shipholding Group; Great American Lines, Inc.; and SeaRiver.


Hanjin Shipping begins
Korea/Japan feeder service

SEOUL — Hanjin Shipping has announced that it is launching a dedicated feeder service between Korea and Japan starting from August 24, 2008. KJS (Korea-Japan Service) is a dedicated feeder service in which one 400 TEU vessel will rotate between Busan-Tokyo-Osaka-Busan once a week. The main purpose of this service includes promoting sales within Asia and reducing vessel operation time while transshipping the Japanese local cargo to Europe and the U.S. Hanjin expects that the introduction of this new KJS will minimize the bottleneck situation at Asian ports for the services that call Japan.


Winners announced for
Sand in the City contest

BELLINGHAM — The "Ancient City of Atlantis" Sand Sculpture created by Dawson Construction and The Zervas Group won first place in the Port of Bellingham's Sand in the City Team Sand Sculpture Competition. Second Place went to "The Wish Well Wishing Well" created by the CH2M Hill Team, and third place went to "Horton Hears a Who" from the Trans-Ocean Products Team. The Bellingham Cold Storage Team won the People's Choice Award. Other teams competing in the competition were: Banner Bank, Comcast and Lawrence and the Dots. In addition to the team sculptures, master sand sculptors carved an eight foot high marine scene entitled "Mermaids with Octopus." This sculpture celebrated the new octopus at the Marine Life Center. Other Festival activities included children's play in the giant sand box, marine crafts and face painting, live music and food vendors. Sand in the City is presented by the Northwest Discovery Project and the Port of Bellingham. Admission is by donation and proceeds support the Marine Life Center, a place where children and adults can learn about and explore the diversity of creatures found in the waters of Puget Sound and the Washington coast.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Port of Portland cleanup effort
includes use of low sulfur diesel

PORTLAND — As sediment removal swings into action at Marine Terminal 4 (T-4) on Tuesday, August 12, all involved locally in the Port of Portland’s latest cleanup project will be able to breathe a little easier. Making an extra effort to reduce the work’s effect on local air quality, the port has required that ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel be used in all heavy equipment on-site. The T-4 sediment removal action includes dredging and capping of contaminated sediment, as well as stabilizing a bank along the Willamette River to control erosion. The project is part of an overall effort to clean up Portland Harbor, which was designated a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in December 2000. In 2003, the port became the first entity in the Harbor to sign a cleanup order with EPA, and the port’s removal action this summer is the second such action to occur within the Portland Harbor Superfund site. This summer’s cleanup work will remove contaminants resulting from over a hundred years of marine and other activities in the region; the primary contaminants of concern at T-4 are petroleum, metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).


Port of Seattle taps Graves
as Capital Development director

SEATTLE — Ralph Graves, former US Army Corps District Engineer for Seattle, recently joined the Port of Seattle as managing director, Capital Development. Mr. Graves will lead the newly-formed division, overseeing all capital development projects and managing the new Central Procurement Office. His first day at the port was August 11, 2008. Earlier this year, Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani established the Capital Development Division, centralizing all of the port’s procurement and construction activities. A performance audit released in late 2007 suggested creation of a Central Procurement Office; Mr. Yoshitani created the CPO, but as part of a more robust restructuring effort. The Central Procurement Office was created as part of the new Capital Development Division, and as managing director of the division, Graves will report directly to the CEO. Mr. Graves served as a member of the US Corps of Engineers for 29 years, serving as deputy district engineer in Baltimore and as district engineer in both Honolulu and Seattle. Upon leaving the Corps of Engineers, he worked for Parsons Brinckerhoff, working on the Alaskan Way Viaduct project. Mr. Graves graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1974. He has a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from UC-Berkeley, and a PhD in Civil Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.


Haindl new marketing manager
for Port of Vancouver, USA

VANCOUVER, USA — Nick Haindl has joined the marine department at the Port of Vancouver USA as marketing manager. Mr. Haindl joins the port to handle marketing duties that include maintaining relationships with existing customers, developing new cargos and customers, and to market the port globally for near-term and long-term growth. Before coming to the port, Mr. Haindl was the site manager for Ports America (formerly Marine Terminals Corporation) at the Vancouver terminal for five years. He had been with Ports America for a total of 11 years, and is extremely familiar with the port and its customer base.


ACP Human Resources Dept.
earns ISO 9001-200 certification

PANAMA CITY — The Panama Canal Authority’s (ACP) Human Resources Department received ISO 9001-2000 certification resulting from an audit of its Quality Management System, performed by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), during an official ceremony August 12. The recognition underscores ACP’s commitment to quality and validates procedures that help make the Canal safe, reliable and efficient. The ACP sought the certification because of its firm commitment to innovative, first-rate management. Moreover, receiving this recognition confirms that the ACP is implementing robust management procedures. ISO 9000 standards are implemented by more than 610,000 organizations in 160 countries. These standards help to enrich quality management at organizations, including enhancing customer satisfaction and continually improving performance. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a non-governmental organization, is the “world’s largest developer of standards” (www.iso.org).


Port of Tacoma re-launches
updated Internet website

TACOMA — The Port of Tacoma has re-launched its website at www.portoftacoma.com. The site features a new format designed for easier navigation and a constant flow of information and images. "We were the first U.S. port to launch a website back in 1995," said Port Communications Director Rod Koon. "Our new website implements the latest internet technologies to better communicate with our customers, the transportation logistics industry and with our community." According to Mr. Koon, the port started the redesign process more than a year ago by listening to customers and to citizens who visited the website. "As a result of this process, the new website makes it easier for visitors to find key information, such as port news, commission meetings, web streaming and a calendar of events. These are all up front on our home page." Mr. Koon points out that the new website will continually be modified and updated to meet the information needs of customers and the community. The port worked with Tacoma-based Business Internet Services (BIS) to design and create the infrastructure of the new website.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, August 11, 2008

NOL remains in running
to acquire Hapag-Lloyd box business

SINGAPORE — Neptune Orient Lines Limited (NOL) has confirmed it has been invited to continue into the next phase of the bidding process for the sale of the Hapag-Lloyd container shipping business. NOL submitted an indicative non-binding bid to acquire Hapag-Lloyd to the company's owner TUI AG on July 21, 2008. Any agreement would be subject to, among other steps, due diligence, submission and acceptance of NOL's final bid, regulatory approvals and NOL shareholders' approvals. If successful, NOL would integrate its APL container shipping business with Hapag-Lloyd, which would create the world's third-largest container carrier. While the process is underway, NOL will be bound by strict confidentiality undertakings, which legally restrict the company's ability to share information. NOL is committed to keeping stakeholders informed of important developments.


Port Metro Vancouver
releases mid-year numbers

VANCOUVER, BC— Mid-year stats for cargo released by Port Metro Vancouver show growth in coal and potash exports, along with positive increases in both import and export container volumes. Cruise passenger volumes remained relatively stable, while overall tonnage was down slightly from the same period in 2007. Influenced strongly by forest product market conditions, overall cargo volumes dropped five percent to 58,477,997 tonnes. Coal exports, up 10 percent year-to-date to 12,973,564 tonnes, demonstrated the strength in energy markets along with offshore supply issues, particularly in Australia. High global demand for fertilizer boosted potash volumes by 10 percent to 3,438,753 tonnes, and increased sulphur exports by seven percent to 2,726,432 tonnes. In contrast to many West Coast ports, total container traffic increased by four percent, reaching 1,223,390 TEUs. Port Metro Vancouver continues to rank third among North American west coast ports in terms of foreign laden container traffic, registering a six percent increase. The cruise sector demonstrated relative stability. Passenger numbers are down slightly from 2007 due to adjustment in vessel deployment by cruise lines operating in the Alaska market.


"K" line to become partner
in Quanzhou ship repair business

TOKYO — Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. ("K" Line) has announced that an agreement has been reached with the holding company of Titan Quanzhou Shipyard Ltd. (TQSL), a shipyard under construction in a suburb of Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, PRC by Titan Petrochemicals Group Ltd., for "K Line to become a primary strategic partner in ship repair business by purchasing convertible securities (equal to five percent of the outstanding number of shares). TQSL is located in a suburb of Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, occupying total area of 110ha with 3,600m length of coastline. Upon full completion in 2010, it will be the largest modern-designed repair dock in China with capacity of 250 vessels per year, equipped with four ultra-large dry docks (two of which can accommodate 300,000dwt class VLCC or VLOC), two slipways, ten repair berths, painting workshop and mechanical-electrical workshop.


Horizon Lines celebrates
50 years in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN — Last week, Horizon Lines, Inc., celebrated 50 years of service in Puerto Rico at an event forcustomers, vendors, labor leaders, government officials and staff held atthe company's San Juan marine terminal. On August 5, 1958, at the same location, the Pan-Atlantic Steamship Corp. FAIRLAND docked and unloaded the first-ever "Sea-Land" containers in Puerto Rico, as reported by the Journal of Commerce shipping newspaper that day. The FAIRLAND converted C-2 type freighter was one of the first "containerships" put into service by industry innovator Malcom McLean. Mr. McLean would later change the name of Pan-Atlantic Steamship to Sea-Land Service Inc., and go on to invent the container shipping industry as we know it today. Horizon Lines is the U.S. domestic ocean shipping descendent of Sea-Land. The FAIRLAND and Puerto Rico will always play central role in that history.


Port of Tacoma magazine
ready to view online

TACOMA — The Summer 2008 edition of the Port of Tacoma's award-winning Pacific Gateway magazine is now available online. Readers will learn about the Tacoma region’s growing base of warehousing and import distribution centers. Another article examines how industry leaders are addressing the growth of international trade in the Pacific Northwest and intermodal rail system capacity. Tacoma-based Emerald Home Furnishings is profiled in a business feature. This furniture importer and wholesale distributor is a home-grown success – starting small and going global. Pacific Gateway readers will also get the latest on the Blair-Hylebos Peninsula redevelopment plans, including the port's historic agreements with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and SSA Containers, Inc. Tall Ships Tacoma 2008 graces this edition's cover, with a photo-packed feature that looks at the recent 2008 event along with a series of compelling tall ship stories from 19th Century Tacoma. To read the online Summer 2008 Pacific Gateway (pdf file), click http://www.portoftacoma.com. At this link, readers may also sign up for a free home or office delivery of Pacific Gateway and other port publications.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, August 8, 2008

Port Tracker report predicts
cargo volume drop in 2008

WASHINGTON, DC — Cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to decline four percent in 2008 compared with 2007 because of the nation’s slow economy, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Global Insight. Volume is projected to total 15.8 million Twenty-Foot-Equivalent Units for the year, compared with 16.4 million TEU in 2007. Cargo volume each month this year has been below the same month last year, and is expected to continue to be below last year’s levels in each remaining month except October and December. One TEU is one 20-foot container or its equivalent. U.S. ports surveyed handled 1.3 million TEU in June, the most recent month for which actual numbers are available. The number was down 0.3 percent from May and 10.3 percent from June 2007. July was estimated at 1.37 million TEU, down 5.2 percent from a year ago, and August is forecast at 1.42 million TEU, down 2.7 percent. September is forecast at 1.4 million TEU, down 4.9 percent, but October is forecast to be up 1.1 percent at 1.46 million TEU. October should be the peak month of the year, though it will fall short of the 1.48 million TEU peak for 2007 set last September. November is forecast at 1.37 million TEU, down 0.3 percent, and December at 1.32 million TEU, up 3.4 percent. Meanwhile, all U.S. ports covered by Port Tracker – Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston and Savannah on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast – are rated “low” for congestion, the same as last month.


Corps eyes Cowlitz River
for flood protection levels

PORTLAND — A July assessment of the Cowlitz River shows a significant reduction of flood protection levels for communities along the lower 18 miles of the river, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced. The flood risk assessment contains an update of the flood frequency for areas of the lower Cowlitz River. This information is used to compute the levels of protection provided by the Cowlitz River levees. The levees are authorized to provide above 100-year flood protection for the communities of Kelso, Lexington, Longview and Castle Rock, Wash. A 100-year flood has a one percent chance (1 in 100) of occurring in any one year. The updated 100-year discharges on the lower 18 miles of the Cowlitz River are 15 to 20 percent greater than the last update in 1997. The new assessment includes stream flow data from the last 12 years, as well as an analysis of 40 years of flood regulation operations from the Mayfield-Mossyrock reservoir. In addition to higher, more frequent peak flows in the lower Cowlitz River, sediment deposition from the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption has been slowly decreasing flood protection levels, with a noticeable increase in deposition following record November 2006 rainfall. Interim dredging last winter removed 2.2 million cubic yards of sediment from the mouth of the Cowlitz River to about river mile 1.3. Another round of interim dredging is scheduled to begin in early August. The dredge will remove up to 300,000 cubic yards of sediment from the Cowlitz River from Gearhart Gardens to one mile upstream. These measures help decrease the impact of the sedimentation on the lower Cowlitz River, but additional actions are needed. The Corps is currently looking at possible measures to enhance the Cowlitz levee system to better manage the higher flows now associated with a 100-year flood. The study should be completed in 2009.


US rail freight traffic
rolls to negative week

WASHINGTON, DC — Both carload and intermodal volume on U.S. railroads were off during the week ended July 26 in comparison with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Carload freight totaled 333,187 cars for the week, down 0.9 percent from last year. Volume was up 1.7 percent in the West but down 4.3 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 235,397 trailers or containers, down 3.2 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was up 1.3 percent while container traffic dropped 4.4 percent. Total volume was estimated at 34.8 billion ton-miles, virtually the same as last year. Six of 19 carload commodities registered gains from a year ago with metallic ores jumping 23.8 percent, grain climbing 5.0 percent, and coal increasing 3.3 percent. Among commodities reporting declines were motor vehicles and equipment, 33.6 percent, lumber and wood products, 19.6 percent, and primary forest products, 14.1 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 30 weeks of 2008 totaled 9,720,848 carloads, up 0.4 percent from 2007; 6,655,987 trailers or containers, down 3.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.006 trillion ton-miles, up 1.6 percent from last year.


Five new organizations to take part
in environmental management program

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF) have announced five organizations that will participate in the third round of a 1½-year training program that assists seaport authorities to develop and maintain state-of-the-art environmental management systems. In two previous rounds (2005-2006 and 2006-2007), a total of 15 public seaport agencies from throughout the United States participated in the rigorous assistance program, which provides organizations training on management processes and procedures so they can better analyze, control and enhance the environmental consequences of their activities. Participating in the assistance project's third round, which begins in October, are: Georgia Ports Authority, South Carolina State Ports Authority, Port of San Diego, Port of Long Beach, and California United Terminals. All participants in this round will be working to create environmental management systems. At the request of three participants, AAPA and GETF offered a concurrent Security Management System (SMS) assistance training program last year.


Top Ships reaches deal
to terminal bareboat charters

ATHENS — TOP Ships Inc. has announced that it has entered into agreements to terminate its bareboat charters for four Suezmax tankers, the PRICELESS (DWT 154,970, built 1991), the FLAWLESS (DWT 154,970, built 1991), the STOPLESS (DWT 154,970, built 1991) and the TIMELESS (DWT 154,970, built 1991) and one Handymax tanker, the SOVEREIGN (DWT 47,071, built 1992), in connection with the sale of these vessels by their owners to third parties. The Suezmax charters are expected to be terminated by the end of September of 2008 upon sale of the vessels from their owners to third parties. The Handymax lease is expected to be terminated by August 20, 2008 upon sale of the vessel from its owner to third parties. The aggregate unamortized portion of the deferred gain from the original sales of approximately $13.3 million is expected to be recognized in the third quarter of 2008. Moreover, the company will receive the amount of approximately $11.3 million in cash, which represents the partial redemption of the initial seller's credit agreement with the lessors of the four Suezmaxes.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, August 7, 2008

President gives priority status
to Columbia Crossing project

WASHINGTON, DC — The Columbia River Crossing, also known as the Interstate 5 Bridge between Portland and Vancouver, USA, has received national priority status from the White House, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters. The elite status, extended to only 20 other projects over the last five years, will help reduce the project’s timetable by months if not years. The priority designation under Executive Order 13274 was requested jointly by the Oregon and Washington Departments of Transportation. It will help speed decision-making by officials while maintaining all federal and state environmental review requirements. The Columbia River Crossing project, which has already received $15 million in federal funding, will reduce gridlock and improve safety problems on a five-mile stretch of I-5 through a combination of bridge, transit and highway improvements. About one crash occurs daily – a rate that is twice as high as similar highways in Oregon and Washington. The project area stretches from State Route 500 in Vancouver, to approximately Columbia Boulevard in Portland, including the I-5 Bridge across the Columbia River.


Washington ferry ELWHA
out of service for repairs

SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Ferries Division has moved the 90-car ferry SEALTH to Anacortes to replace the 144-car ELWHA while necessary repairs are made to the ELWHA’s propulsion system. The SEALTH has been on stand-by at the Ferries Division’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility. At 8:00 a.m. Aug. 6, the ELWHA temporarily lost steering due to a problem with the propulsion control system. The vessel resumed use of the propulsion system on one end and was able to make it to Anacortes under its own power. The ELWHA is out of service until later this week while repairs to the propulsion control cooling system are made. Because the SEALTH holds fewer cars than the ELWHA, customers should arrive early and expect more overloads. For updated schedule and service information please visit the WSDOT Ferries Division Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/service.


International Trade Commission
releases Year in Trade report

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has released The Year in Trade 2007, its annual overview of the previous year's trade-related activities. The ITC's The Year in Trade is one of the government's most comprehensive reports of U.S. trade-related activities, covering major multilateral, regional, and bilateral developments. The publication provides a practical review of U.S. international trade laws and actions in 2007, a summary of the operation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and an overview of U.S. free trade agreements and negotiations and of U.S. bilateral trade relations with major trading partners. The Year in Trade 2007 includes complete listings of antidumping, countervailing duty, safeguard, intellectual property rights infringement, and section 301 cases undertaken by the U.S. government in 2007. The Year in Trade 2007 (USITC Publication 4026, July 2008) will be posted on the ITC's Internet site at http://hotdocs.usitc.gov/docs/pubs/332/pub4026.pdf. The report also is expected to be available at federal depository libraries in the United States and at offices of the U.S. Information Agency abroad. In addition, the ITC is disseminating this report, as well as previous Year in Trade reports covering the years 2001-2007, on CD-ROM. The report may be requested by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or contacting the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.


Boeing predicts growth
in global air cargo market

SEATTLE — The Boeing Company projects that the global air cargo market will continue to exhibit strong, long-term growth, according to the company's Current Market Outlook 2008. During the 20-year forecast period, Boeing projects that the industry will grow at an annualized average of 5.8 percent with the world freighter fleet increasing from 1,948 to 3,892 airplanes. This growth requires a total of 3,358 airplanes joining the freighter fleet by 2027, taking into account anticipated airplane retirements of 1,414 airplanes, according to the annual Outlook, which was released prior to the 2008 Farnborough Air Show. The fleet additions will include 863 new production freighters, with a value of about $206 billion in current U.S. dollars, and 2,495 airplanes from conversions. Widebody freighters will dominate the new production freighter total and 641 will be of the large freighter segment (more than 80 tons (72.6 tonnes) capacity).


Change of command today
for Coast Guard Sector Seattle

SEATTLE — Coast Guard Captain Stephen P. Metruck will transfer command of Coast Guard Sector Seattle to Captain Suzanne E. Englebert in a Change of Command Ceremony that will be held at the Integrated Support Command Seattle today at 10:30 a.m. Captain Metruck, the son of Mrs. Mary Lou Metruck and the late Stephen G. Metruck of Massena, NY, has been the Commander of Sector Seattle since 2005. Sector Seattle oversees the comprehensive maritime safety, security and marine environmental response operations throughout the sector's 3,500 square mile area of responsibility. Sector Seattle faces many challenges posed by the complexity of the Puget Sound area including numerous high risk, as well as economically and nationally significant maritime operations, including the nation's largest ferry system, the third largest container port, 1.3 million recreational boaters, over 200 cruise ship arrivals annually, over 5,000 deep draft vessel transits annually, home to the Alaskan fishing fleet, the third largest strategic naval port and 15 billion gallons of oil products moved annually. Captain Metruck's next assignment will be as a fellow on the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Captain Englebert is reporting from Coast Guard District Seven located in Miami, FL where she served as the chief of prevention. Captain Englebert is a Coast Guard Academy graduate and holds an M.S.E. degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and an M.S.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Rear Admiral John P. Currier, Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District is scheduled to preside over the ceremony.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Corps begins repair work
to Columbia mouth sand berm

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is beginning repair work this week on the north jetty sand berm at the mouth of the Columbia River. The MCR north jetty sand berm is a natural buffer adjacent to the north jetty, providing extra protection from storms. The sand berm was damaged during the winter storms in 2007 and is in need of repairs in order to provide effective protection from future storms. The Corps has contracted Great Lakes Dredge and Dock to pump 125,000 cubic yards of sediment dredged from the channel at the mouth of the Columbia River onto Benson Beach for repairs to the sand berm. Crews will construct a temporary sand berm over the entire length of the sand pump-out area to keep the sediment from washing back into the ocean. This area will be restored to pre-project conditions and a sand fence will stabilize the area once the work is complete. During this work, an area adjacent to the north jetty and along Benson Beach will be closed to the public as a safety precaution. The work will be completed no later than Sept. 15. The Corps warns the public to stay out of the construction area, and as always, stay off the jetty. The public notice and environmental assessment for this project are available at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pm/e/en_plan_assess.asp.


Fincantieri plans to buy
Manitowoc Marine Group

TRIESTE, Italy — Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., a global commercial and naval shipbuilding firm, has announced that it has signed a definitive acquisition agreement to acquire the Manitowoc Marine Group (MMG), from its parent company, The Manitowoc Company, Inc. Lockheed Martin Corporation has agreed to be a minority investor with Fincantieri in the proposed acquisition. The transaction, that is valued at approx. US$ 120 Million (subject to certain closing adjustments), is an all-cash deal that is anticipated to close at the end of 2008. The Boards of Directors of Fincantieri and Manitowoc have approved the terms of the agreement. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including clearance from the U.S. antitrust authorities. It will also be reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. MMG is a US mid-sized shipbuilder for commercial and government customers, including the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard. MMG is comprised of two shipyards - Marinette Marine Corporation (Marinette, WI) and Bay Shipbuilding Company (Sturgeon Bay, WI) - and a topside repair yard in Cleveland, OH. MMG employs a workforce of approx. 1,590 and in FY2007 generated revenues of approx. US$ 320 Million, which are expected to increase in FY2008.


General Maritime Corp.
merging with Arlington Tankers

NEW YORK/HAMILTON, Bermuda — General Maritime Corporation (General Maritime) and Arlington Tankers Ltd. (Arlington Tankers) have jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby the two companies will combine in a stock- for-stock combination. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, approved unanimously by the Boards of Directors of both General Maritime and Arlington Tankers, shareholders of General Maritime will receive 1.340 shares of the combined company for each share of General Maritime held, and shareholders of Arlington Tankers will receive one share of the combined company for each share of Arlington Tankers held. The combination will create a publicly traded tanker company.


MITSUI O.S.K. Lines names
320,000dwt iron ore carrier

TOKYO — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has announced the launch of one of the world's largest iron ore carriers, the 320,000 dwt TUBARO MARU. The naming and delivery ceremony was held August 5, at the Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) Chiba Works. The new vessel will sail under a long-term transport contract with Nippon Steel Corporation. The TUBARO MARU is similar to the world's largest iron ore carrier, the BRASIL MARU, which was launched in December 2007. It is the second generation ship to bear the name; the original TUBARO MARU was launched in 1966. After the naming and rope-cutting ceremonies, the TUBARO MARU will go into service to transport Brazilian iron ore to Japan. MOL became the first Japanese shipping company to operate a 300,000 dwt class very large iron ore carrier(VLOC) with the launch of the BRASIL MARU in December 2007. Five of these VLOCs will sail under the MOL operating by August 2009.


Container shipping service
opens worldwide photo contest

COPENHAGEN — The Container Shipping Information Service (CSIS) has launched a worldwide photography competition to encourage people to think about the huge impact container shipping has on their lives. Because Maersk Line has been a member of the CSIS since it was established in January 2008 we would like to bring this photo competition to your attention. Entitled ‘The box that changed our lives’ and aimed at amateur or ‘have-a-go’ photographers, the competition will run throughout August and September 2008. It will generate awareness of the enormous benefit - usually unrecognised - that container shipping has on our lives. To enter the competition, applicants will email their pictures to photocomp@shipsandboxes.com. These pictures can be of unusual or innovative ways of using containers, such as community centres and housing, or simply images of the containers in transit onboard a ship or lorry. All entries will be considered and the ten best images each week will be published on the CSIS website, www.shipsandboxes.com. The overall best entry will be picked by a panel of judges, including US based professional photographer Nick Souza, and awarded the winning prize of a top-of-the-range SLR digital camera. The two runners-up will also receive digital cameras. Closing date for entries is Friday September 12, 2008. For further details and full terms and conditions of the competition, visit www.shipsandboxes.com


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, August 4, 2008

Foss Maritime names Godfrey
global services vice president

SEATTLE — Vince Godfrey has been named Foss Maritime Company’s senior vice president, global services, a new position that reports to Foss’ president and
chief operating officer. The new position was developed to meet Foss’ current and prospective customers’ needs and support Foss’ global activities. In his new position, Mr. Godfrey is responsible for business development for marine transportation and international projects, including strategic oversight for Foss’ large oil and gas projects around the world. He also oversees Foss’ Marine Transportation Operations group, including Gulf Caribe operations. Mr. Godfrey was formerly vice president for sales and marketing at Marine Resources Group, Foss’ parent company. He has twenty-three years of experience in the tug and barge industry and is a graduate of California State Polytechnic University, with an MBA from Pepperdine University.


Crowley promotes Cosgrove
to marine personnel vice president

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Crowley Maritime Corporation has announced that Cole Cosgrove has been promoted to vice president of marine personnel. This new department will be responsible for developing programs, policies and procedures specifically for Crowley's marine personnel. Working across business lines, Mr. Cosgrove will report to Steve Collar, senior vice president and general manager, technical services; John Douglass, senior vice president and general manager
Atlantic/Gulf region; Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager Puerto Rico/Caribbean services and Rocky Smith, senior vice president and general manager, Pacific/Alaska Region. As vice president of marine personnel, Mr. Cosgrove is responsible for the employment life cycle of the company's more than 2000 vessel personnel. This effort includes hiring and crewing, as well as workforce planning, back office administration and systems management. Mr. Cosgrove joined Crowley in January of 1987 as a port captain in the ship operations group overseeing Crowley's U.S. and foreign-flag vessels and crews.


Benge new contracts manager
for Port of Tacoma

TACOMA — The Port of Tacoma has hired Alyce Benge, CPPO, C.P.M., as contracts manager, responsible for the management and oversight of construction contracts, including the financial and legal compliance of all port contracting activities. Before joining the port, Ms. Benge was director of purchasing services for the Issaquah School District (Issaquah, Wash.). There, she was responsible for the management and oversight of daily warehouse and procurement operations, including contracting services, purchases, public works contracting, professional services, asset management and vendor relations. Previously, Ms. Benge was a Procurement Unit manager for the Office of State Procurement/General Administration (Olympia)


Federal Maritime Commission
eyes Oceania Agreement amendment

WASHINGTON, DC — The Federal Maritime Commission has announced that it has concluded review of an amendment to the U.S. Pacific Coast–Oceania Agreement, FMC Agreement No. 011741-012 ("Oceania Agreement"), covering the trade between the U.S. Pacific Coast and Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. The amendment adds CMA CGM S.A. and ANL Singapore PTE, Ltd., as a single party to the Oceania Agreement, revises vessel operations, and makes other changes to this vessel sharing agreement. The commission determined not to delay the effectiveness of the amendment, with Commissioner Brennan dissenting from this decision. Collectively the commission expressed serious concerns regarding the substantial market power that the parties may exercise through the combination of their ability to restrain capacity under this amendment and their corresponding authority to agree upon rates through participation in related rate discussion agreements already operational in the trades. To address these concerns, the commission directed staff to undertake a more comprehensive review of rates, practices and competitive conditions in the U.S.-Oceania trades, and has authorized the issuance of Section 15 Orders to vessel-operating common carriers serving these trades. Electronic copies of Agreements on file with the commission can be accessed through the commission's website at http://www2.fmc.gov/agreements/.


Steamship historical society
wants help with photo IDs

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Steamship Historical Society of America (SSHSA) unveiled a new project aimed at documenting the history of over 40,000 lost and forgotten steamship navigation images dating from the 1850s through the 1980s. The project includes preservation of two collections: approximately 2,000 fragile and threatened large format glass plate images from many different regions around the U.S.; and 38,000 color slide photos depicting ships, ports, steam trains, and people taken by the late Edward O. Clark, an SSHSA benefactor and historian. Over a decade ago, the SSHSA acquired the Clark collection of images -- which were unidentified and deteriorating -- including maritime heritage, architecture and nature shots taken from land and sea. The additional glass plate images faded and suffered deterioration from mildew and storage issues. Thanks to a grant from The Champlin Foundations, SSHSA worked to clean, preserve and scan all of the images for display online. The resulting database, called the "Image Porthole," can be accessed via http://www.sshsa.org/.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, August 1, 2008

Port of Seattle employees
violate computer use rules

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle has announced that an investigation identified 15 employees who violated appropriate computer use and anti-harassment policies. Of the 15 employees found to have violated port policies, eight were terminated and seven have received varying forms of discipline, including leave without pay. Four outside consultants were also released from the project team. Upon finding initial violations, port staff retained an outside firm to conduct the investigation. In January 2007, every Port of Seattle manager and supervisor was directed to ensure that employees read, understood, and had opportunities to ask questions about port policies, specifically polices related to appropriate computer use and anti-harassment. In addition, it was mandatory that all employees take anti-harassment training.


Trucking index continues
string of monthly increases

ARLINGTON, VA — The American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index increased 1.3 percent in June, marking the second consecutive month-to-month gain. The index rose 0.5 percent in May. The seasonally adjusted tonnage index equaled 116.5 (2000 = 100) in June, which was the highest reading since February 2008 (117.2). The not seasonally adjusted index increased 1.2 percent to 119.9 in June. The seasonally adjusted index was 5.4 percent higher compared with June 2007, marking its eighth consecutive year-over-year increase. This improvement was the largest year-over-year gain since January 2005, just surpassing the 5.3 percent jump in January 2008.


US rail freight traffic
increases during week

WASHINGTON, DC — Thanks to sharp increases in loadings of coal and grain, freight traffic on the nation's railroads was up during the week ended July 19 in comparison with the corresponding week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Carload freight in the week totaled 328,634 cars, up 2.3 percent from last year. Volume was up 6.3 percent in the West but down 3.0 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 233,516 trailers or containers, down 2.4 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was up 1.1 percent while container traffic slipped 3.3 percent. Total volume was estimated at 34.5 billion ton-miles, up 3.9 percent from the 29th week of 2007. Grain volume was up 10.0 percent from the comparable week last year while coal loadings rose 8.6 percent and metals gained 10.9 percent. Among 14 carload commodities reporting declines were motor vehicles and parts, down 24.0 percent, farm products other than grain, down 23.7 percent, and lumber and wood products, down 18.9 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 29 weeks of 2008 totaled 9,387,661 carloads, up 0.4 percent from 2007; 6,420,590 trailers or containers, down 3.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 971.9 billion ton-miles, up 1.7 percent from last year.


Crowley teams with CBP
for covert container exercise

JACKSONVILLE, FL — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recognized Crowley for their cooperative assistance in a CBP internal covert exercise. The operation, which involved moving CBP container loads with small amounts of controlled materials from foreign ports to the U.S. mainland, was geared to test domestic radiation technology portals and procedures in Port Everglades, Fla.; Gulfport, Miss.; Miami and Jacksonville, Fla. As part of the Federal Safe Port Act of 2006, the Department of Homeland Security was tasked with conducting tests of the nation's busiest seaports. Crowley's Director of Security Ed Alford was contacted by CBP's Office of Internal Affairs who requested voluntary assistance in conducting the tests. Select Crowley personnel in Honduras, Port Everglades, Jacksonville, Miami and Gulfport participated in the confidential tests. The employees successfully moved the container loads through the supply chain custody process. Each container had small, covert quantities of controlled materials with low radiological signatures. The purpose of the tests were to document the ability of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM's) to scan and register alerts to the CBP about suspicious and dangerous cargo entering the U.S. via ports and moving to inland supply chain consignees. The test also provided data on how the CBP reacted after such suspicious cargo alerts were detected.


New commanding officer
for cutter MORGENTHAU

SINGAPORE — Capt. Douglas J. Smith relieved Capt. Kevin M. O'Day as commanding officer of U.S. Coast Guard cutter MORGENTHAU (WHEC 722) during a ceremony at Sembawang Wharf, Singapore, July 29. Capt. Smith assumed command of MORGENTHAU following an assignment in Washington, D.C. as the executive director of the federal interagency group interdiction committee. Although MORGENTHAU's home port is in Alameda, Calif., Capt. Smith traveled to Singapore to assume command because the cutter is in the region taking part in annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises.