Home

October, 2008

NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, October 31, 2008

Maxwell's retirement plans changing
Port of Portland management scheme

PORTLAND — Port of Portland Aviation Director Mary Maxwell has announced her retirement from the port effective March 31, 2009. Driven largely by this decision, Port of Portland Executive Director Bill Wyatt has announced several other management changes. Effective April 1, 2009, Steve Schreiber who is the port’s current chief financial officer and director of operations, will assume the role of aviation director, a position in which he served from 2000 to 2004. As a result, the finance and administration group will be separated from engineering and information technology to enable greater focus in both port finance and project delivery. Stan Watters will serve in the newly created director of development services and information technology position, effective immediately. Mr. Watters currently serves as program manager for the port’s parking garage and headquarters building construction project. Vince Granato, the port’s current general manager of financial services, has been appointed as the new chief financial officer and director of administrative services effective April 1, 2009. Mr. Granato has worked at the port for more than 21 years, including more than 16 in port finance.


Mitsui OSK Line offers
independent Asia/SAmerica run

TOKYO — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has announced a new independent service on the Asia-East Coast South America trade starting in January 2009. The current joint service with Pacific International Line (PIL) will be dissolved. The carrier will be replacing some current 3,000 TEU class vessels with larger and faster ships. Calling ports and transit times remain unchanged from the existing service.


US rail freight traffic count
heads down during week

WASHINGTON, DC — Both carload and intermodal volumes on the nation's railroad were off during the week ended October 18 in comparison with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Total volume was estimated at 34.5 billion ton-miles, down 1.4 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight in the week totaled 326,374 cars, off 2.4 percent from last year. Volume was off 0.1 percent in the West and 5.5 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 235,750 trailers or containers, down 2.8 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was off 7.8 percent while container traffic declined 1.4 percent. Among carload commodity groups showing gains from last year, metallic ores rose 11.7 percent while coal gained 5.3 percent. Among commodities registering declines were lumber and wood products, off 20.7 percent; automotive traffic, down 19.3 percent; and metals, off 20.8 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 42 weeks of 2008 totaled 13,671,118 carloads, down 0.3 percent from 2007; 9,461,941 trailers or containers, down 3.0 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.42 trillion ton-miles, up 0.8 percent from last year.


Crowley distribution center
nets bonded CFS designation

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Crowley's logistics group announced that on October 27, 2008, U.S. Customs designated its Jacksonville distribution center as a Licensed (Bonded) Container Freight Station (CFS). With this designation, the Crowley warehouse becomes one of only 25 bonded warehouses in the Jacksonville area. The application process meant that the warehouse had to pass a physical inspection to verify building security. Additionally, the warehouse staff was required to demonstrate their knowledge of procedural regulations required to operate a CFS listed under Part 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations.


NASSCO delivers latest
T-AKE vessel to US Navy

SAN DIEGO — General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, has delivered USNS AMELIA EARHART (T-AKE 6) to the U.S. Navy. The ship is named in honor of the record-setting aviator. Construction of the USNS AMELIA EARHART began in December 2006. NASSCO has incorporated international marine technologies and commercial ship-design features into T-AKE class ships, including an integrated electric-drive propulsion system, to minimize operating costs during their projected 40-year service life. With a cargo capacity of more than 10,000 tons, the primary mission of T-AKE ships is to deliver food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions from shore stations to combat ships at sea.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, October 30, 2008

Port of Grays Harbor welcomes
arrival of Westway Terminals Inc.

HOQUIAM — Looking to establish a strategic presence in the Pacific Northwest, Westway Terminals, Inc. plans to construct a bulk liquid storage and transfer facility at the Port of Grays Harbor. The terminaling facility will include on-site storage capacity and direct access to the port's marine terminals. Westway Terminals, a subsidiary of ED&F Man, is a liquid bulk storage and handling firm. With locations in the United States and around the world. This will be the company's first Pacific Northwest facility. Westway plans to begin permitting on the facility immediately. The first phase, an estimated $17 million private investment, includes four above-ground storage tanks and pipelines along with rail and truck facilities. The Grays Harbor facility will directly employ 10 to 12 workers. The company expects to grow the facility as markets dictate.


Mitsui moving away
from Transpacific agreements

TOKYO — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has announced that it will resign from the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) and the Canada Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (CTSA), effective November 27, 2008. "With the European Union's abolition of liner anti-trust immunity, it has become extremely difficult to align the business processes of our entire organization when its regional divisions must operate to differing standards. Having done a thorough analysis of marketplace dynamics and the roles of TSA/CTSA relative to our unique ability to differentiate, we concluded MOL and its customers would be better served by conducting business independently from transpacific liner agreements," stated Masakazu Yakushiji, executive vice president of MOL. MOL has been a member of TSA and CTSA since their inceptions in 1989, but resigned from the westbound discussion agreements in June 2005.


Schnitzer Steel numbers
break records during quarter

PORTLAND — Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. has reported record net income of $126 million, or $4.38 per diluted share, for the fiscal fourth quarter ended August 31, 2008. Revenues of $1.3 billion were also a record, marking the first time that quarterly revenues exceeded one billion dollars. Compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007, diluted earnings per share increased 242 percent. For the fiscal year, the company reported record net income of $249 million, or $8.61 per diluted share. Consolidated revenues of $3.6 billion were also a record. Compared to the prior year, revenues increased 42 percent, while diluted earnings per share increased 99 percent.


For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index
falls during month of September

ARLINGTON, VA — The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index decreased 0.9 percent in September, marking the third consecutive month-to-month drop. The index fell 1.6 percent in August and 0.9 percent in July. In September, the seasonally adjusted tonnage index equaled 112.6 (2000 = 100), its lowest level since October 2007. The not seasonally adjusted index increased 1.1 percent to 116.3 in September. For the third quarter, the seasonally adjusted index contracted 1.2 percent compared with the second quarter, equating to a 4.8 percent annualized rate decrease. The seasonally adjusted index was just 0.8 percent higher compared with September 2007. While the index rose year-over-year because of weak 2007 volumes, it is quickly falling toward negative territory.


FMC files complaint against
LA/Long Beach truck program

WASHINGTON, DC — The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has determined by 2-1 vote that implementation of certain portions of the Clean Truck Programs (CTP) by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach under FMC Agreement No. 201170, are likely, by a reduction in competition, to produce an unreasonable increase in transportation cost or unreasonable reduction in service. The FMC, therefore, authorized staff to file a complaint with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia pursuant to section 6(h) of the Shipping Act of 1984, to enjoin aspects of Agreement No. 201170, including concession requirements that mandate exclusive use of employee-drivers. Commissioner Joseph E. Brennan dissented from this determination.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Port of Seattle pushes back
rail corridor purchase plans

SEATTLE — Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani has announced that the port will not finalize acquisition of the BNSF Eastside Rail Corridor until the first quarter
of 2009. The two agencies agreed to the delay because of ongoing difficulties in the nation's municipal bond markets. The port intends to sell municipal bonds to finance the $107 million acquisition. The Port of Seattle announced final plans to acquire the 42-mile corridor in November 2007. Currently, the transaction is before the Surface Transportation Board, which must approve the transaction. King County will contribute $2 million for an easement to develop a trail along the property. Once the deal is final, the port will host a public process to determine how the corridor will be used for both transportation and recreation in the future.


Port of Bellingham information
now centralized on web site

BELLINGHAM — The Port of Bellingham has posted all of its most current Bellingham Waterfront Redevelopment plans and reports in one location on the port website so that people can easily access all of the information. This includes the environmental analysis reports, the summary of public comments and analysis of how they shaped the port's development plan, and the June 10, 2008, Waterfront Development Proposal. Go to: http://www.portofbellingham.com/content/ArchivesItem_147_1656_v to access the latest port waterfront redevelopment information.


Boeing reaches tentative deal
with machinists/aerospace workers

SEATTLE — Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers have reached tentative agreement on a new four-year contract covering 27,000 employees in Washington, Oregon and Kansas. Union leadership is recommending that employees vote to ratify the contract. The company reports it retained the flexibility necessary to manage its business, while making changes to the contract language to address the union's issues on job security, pay and benefits. The offer provides general wage increases every year and increases pension benefits. In addition, Boeing is proposing no changes to the cost share employees currently pay for a selection of outstanding health care plans. By mutual agreement, details of the agreement will be released first by the union. If employees vote to approve the offer, it will end the strike by approximately 27,000 employees in Washington, Oregon and Kansas.


Netherlands adds signature
to Wreck Removal Convention

LONDON — The International Maritime Organization (IMO) reports The Kingdom of the Netherlands has become the fourth country to sign, subject to approval, the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007, joining Estonia, France and Italy, which signed subject to ratification. The Nairobi Wreck Removal Convention was adopted in May 2007 and will provide the legal basis for states to remove, or have removed, shipwrecks that may have the potential to affect adversely the safety of lives, goods and property at sea, as well as the marine environment. The convention is open for signature until November 18, 2008 and, thereafter, will be open for ratification, accession or acceptance. It will enter into force 12 months following the date on which ten states have either signed it without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval or have deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with IMO.


Changes for Anacortes/San Juan run
as ferry SEALTH comes back on line

ANACORTES — The 90-car ferry SEALTH began service on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route on Sunday, Oct. 26. This means a slight reduction in vehicle capacity for the route. Customers on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route should be aware of the reduction in capacity, but the change should not inconvenience customers. Customers are encouraged to arrive early for their desired sailings. The SEALTH is coming out of a nine-week drydock period for planned maintenance. With the SEALTH's arrival in Anacortes, the 144-car ELWHA heads south for three days of service on the Seattle/Bremerton route, and then into drydock until early December for its scheduled maintenance. The other vessels currently serving the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route are the 144-car YAKIMA and the 124-car CHELAN, with the 87-car EVERGREEN STATE providing inter-island service. With a lack of back-up vessels in the ferry system, WSDOT says it must plan vessel moves to accommodate planned maintenance while minimizing impacts to customers. This becomes especially difficult during the winter maintenance season, when more vessels must be removed from service for annual maintenance and inspections.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, October 27, 2008

Port Metro Vancouver ends
Roberts Bank ocean disposal

VANCOUVER, BC — On Friday, October 17, Port Metro Vancouver (PMV) suspended ocean disposal operations at Roberts Bank upon learning that the contractor, Deltaport Constructors Ltd. (a joint venture between Vancouver Pile Driving Ltd. and Graham Construction Ltd.) had exceeded ocean disposal amounts applied for under the 2008 ocean disposal permit. PMV immediately advised Environment Canada and will cooperate in any investigation or required mitigation action. Port Metro Vancouver learned of the discrepancy on October 16 when the contractor advised of amounts recently disposed. A cease and desist order is expected to be issued by Environment Canada.


Panama Canal Authority
releases fiscal year metrics

PANAMA CITY — The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has announced its operational metrics for the 2008 fiscal year (FY 08). Year-end (October 2007 – September 2008) statistics reveal a marginal decline in total transits and tonnage when compared to FY 07. However, the canal also experienced growth in core segments, most notably tanker and passenger transits. Total canal transits remained fairly constant, with a slight decline of 0.1 percent – from 14,721 to 14,702 transits. Booked transits (excluding auctioned slots) increased 3.9 percent – from 7,857 to 8,167 transits. Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) tonnage decreased 1.1 percent – from 312.9 million PC/UMS tons to 309.6 million PC/UMS tons. Tanker traffic jumped this year by 4.8 percent – from 1,972 to 2,067 transits, mainly as a result of stronger movements of petroleum from the U.S. Gulf coast to Chile for electricity generation as natural gas supplies coming from Argentina were suspended. Tanker tonnage also increased 8.6 percent. The canal also saw an increase in passenger vessel transits – up 17.6 percent from 205 to 241 transits due to higher frequencies of smaller cruise ships. Transits by dry bulkers were slightly up from 2,406 to 2,420 transits. The official accident rate rose from 0.68 accidents per 1,000 transits in FY 07 to 1.09 accidents per 1,000 transits this fiscal year although total incidents dropped from 119 in FY 07 to 84 in FY 08.


Washington governor talks trade
at Tacoma international trade luncheon

TACOMA — Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire has pledged to continue her efforts to strengthen Washington’s export market while speaking at the 4th Annual World Trade Center-Tacoma International Trade luncheon. “Can you imagine what it would be like if Washington didn’t have the tremendous economic engine of international trade?” Governor Gregoire asked. “I can. That is why I’ll continue to embrace global trade rather than fight it. And that is why I’ll keep working across the aisle, across the state and across the oceans to promote Washington goods.” Since 2004, Washington exports have doubled, reaching a record $67 billion last year. Washington now exports more on a per-capita basis than any other state. One in three Washington jobs is directly or indirectly related to international trade.


NOAA announces plans
to update research vessel fleet

WASHINGTON, DC — NOAA has completed a detailed plan to modernize its marine operations by replacing nine research ships and refurbishing a 10th in the next 15 years. NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations conducted an assessment of the 19 ships in the fleet, and determined that 10 of those vessels will reach the end of their useful service life over the next 15 years. The fleet replacement plan is a comprehensive program to systematically replace or upgrade the fleet. The fleet supports a wide range of marine activities, including fisheries and coastal research, nautical charting, and long-range ocean and climate studies. NOAA's ships are specially equipped and designed to support the agency's programs, and have some capabilities not found in the commercial fleet.


Oregon Market at Portland Airport
celebrating 20th anniversary

PORTLAND — Port of Portland is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Portland International Airport’s Oregon Market with festivities thanking travelers and saluting airport businesses. Oregon Market, the central retail and restaurant core of the airport, has served travelers since 1988 and garnered numerous industry awards. The celebration kicked off this morning with refreshments for travelers and runs through Nov. 3. To celebrate, Port of Portland is teaming up with Travel Oregon and featuring its statewide initiative, Oregon Bounty, which highlights the bounty of great local and regional products found throughout the state and in PDX. Travel Oregon is sponsoring a drawing for an Oregon vacation getaway at bed and breakfasts and lodges on the Oregon coast and in southern Oregon. The celebration also includes entertainment, food and beverage tastings, demonstrations, displays, special menus and promotions. A complete list of shops and restaurants found in the Oregon Market and throughout the airport is available at www.pdx.com.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, October 24, 2008

APL slashing capacity
in global service network

SINGAPORE — Container shipping Line, APL has announced a reduction in capacity and significant changes to its global service network in response to increasingly challenging conditions in the major container trades. The main changes to APL’s global service network are detailed below:
Asia-Europe -- APL will reduce capacity in the Asia-Europe trade by close to 25 percent. From November 2, 2008, APL’s CEX (China Europe Express) Service will be suspended until further notice. In light of this change, APL has revised port coverage and voyage length of its SCX (South China Express) service. The revamped SCX will make new westbound calls at Xiamen, Colombo and Southampton and new eastbound calls at Salalah and Hong Kong. The SCX will cease calling at Thamesport and eastbound at Chiwan. The SCX service will now deploy nine vessels. The SCX revised port rotation is Ningbo, Yangshan, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Singapore, Colombo, Southampton, Zeebrugge, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Salalah, Singapore, Hong Kong and Ningbo.
Transpacific -- APL will reduce capacity in the Transpacific trade by around 20 percent. The PS3 (Pacific South Express 3) service has been suspended. Subsequently, the PCX (Pacific China Express) service has been upsized and has the following revised port rotation: Ningbo, Yangshan, Kwanyang, Pusan, Long Beach, Oakland, Pusan, Kwanyang, Ningbo. APL has also suspended the PSW (Pacific South West) service. In light of this change, the SAX (South Asia Express) service now makes additional calls at Yantian and Chiwan. The revised SAX rotation is: Singapore, Yantian, Chiwan, San Pedro, Kaohsiung, Chiwan, Singapore. The PCE (Pacific Coast Express) omits calls at Xingang and Nagoya, but includes an additional Pusan call in the eastbound direction. Revised coverage is Qingdao, Pusan, Yokohama, San Pedro, Oakland, Dutch Harbor, Yokohama, Pusan, Qingdao. Xingang is now covered by direct APL feeder service, which also calls at Dalian and Pusan.
Intra-Asia -- The SSX (Singapore Subcontinent Express) service has been suspended. The SSX route will be covered by a combination of the CMX (China Middle East Express) and the CSS (China Singapore Service). The CMX has been upsized to a five ship loop with a revised rotation of Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Jebel Ali, Sharjah, Nhava Sheva, Colombo, Singapore, Shanghai. The CSS will provide additional coverage of Shanghai and Ningbo.


Corps set to put in place
repaired John Day lock gate

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will install a repaired upstream navigation lock gate at John Day Dam on Tuesday, Oct. 28. The 125-ton gate will arrive at the dam by barge at 5 a.m. and is scheduled to be installed by noon. A crew from National Geographic will be onsite to film an episode of "World's Toughest Fixes," as the lock is put back into normal operation. The lock gate at John Day was damaged in late February when a barge came into contact with the upstream gate while the lock chamber was filling. The incident immediately halted all river traffic through the lock. A temporary floating bulkhead has been in place since the gate's removal in March, allowing river traffic to continue through the lock.


Panama Canal Authority extends
bid date for lock construction work

PANAMA CITY — The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has extended the submission date for the proposals to build the new set of locks. The four consortia vying for the contract will now have until March 3, 2009 to submit their bids for what will be the largest and most important project under the $5.25 billion expansion program. The ACP received requests to extend the bid submission due date and, with the success of the Expansion Program in mind, has agreed to extend it to March 3, 2009. The additional time given to the consortia will result in more fully developed bids on both the technical and price proposals, ultimately benefitting the project. The expansion process continues to be on track and moving along as planned. Expansion will build a new lane of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of locks that will double capacity and allow more traffic and longer, wider ships.


Rail freight traffic totals
head lower during week

WASHINGTON, DC — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was off slightly during the week ended October 11 in comparison with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Total volume was estimated at 35.2 billion ton-miles, down 0.6 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight in the week totaled 331,402 cars, off 1.4 percent from last year. Volume was up 0.7 percent in the East but down 2.9 percent in the West. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 234,732 trailers or containers, down 3.3 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was off 5.5 percent while container traffic declined 2.7 percent. Among carload commodity groups showing gains from last year, coal was up 6.2 percent while metallic ores climbed 32.4 percent. On the negative side, lumber and wood products fell by 22.5 percent, nonmetallic minerals dropped by 23.5 percent and grain was off 15.9 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 41 weeks of 2008 totaled 13,344,744 carloads, down 0.3 percent from 2007; 9,226,191 trailers or containers, down 3.0 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.39 trillion ton-miles, up 0.8 percent from last year.


Coast Guard honors deputy
for rescuing children from river

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard awarded a silver lifesaving medal to Tillamook County Sheriff's Department Deputy Charles Reeder in a recognition ceremony held in Bend, Ore., during the Oregon State Marine Board Conference October 14, 2008. Deputy Reeder was given this distinguished honor for rescuing two children who were caught in a swift current at the Mill's Bridge area of the Watson River in Tillamook, Ore., June 26, 2006. Rear Admiral John Currier, Commander for the 13th Coast Guard District presented the award to Reeder on behalf of Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant for the Coast Guard. The Gold Lifesaving Medal or the Silver Lifesaving Medal is awarded by the Commandant of the Coast Guard, to any person who rescues or endeavors to rescue any other person from drowning, shipwreck, or other perils of the water.



NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, October 23, 2008

FedEx Ground first firm
to set up shop at Troutdale Park

PORTLAND — FedEx Ground Package System, Inc. will be the first company to call the new Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park home. The Port of Portland closed last week on the $16.96 million sale of a 77.93-acre lot to the company for construction of a new state-of-the-art regional distribution hub at the site. Groundbreaking for the new facility has been scheduled for October 29. Port Commissioners first approved the sale in December 2007, and since that time representatives from the company, the port and the city of Troutdale have been working together to iron out the details. Finalization of the sale signals the first step in a series of investments in the site by FedEx Ground that will total an estimated $130 million.


Corps names closure dates
for John Day Lock repair work

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will close the navigation lock at John Day Dam to all river traffic from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 28 and again
from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 for repair work. Completed in 1968, the John Day Dam spans the Columbia River from Washington to Oregon about 25 miles east of The Dalles, Ore., 215 miles upstream from the Pacific Ocean. The John Day Lock and Dam is located at exit 109 off Interstate 84.


TWIC compliance dates set
for Ports of Long Beach/LA

LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration have announced that April 14, 2009, is the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) compliance date for owners and operators of facilities located within the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Zone of Los Angeles-Long Beach, California. TWIC was established in the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) and the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act to serve as an identification program for all Coast Guard credential mariners and personnel requiring unescorted access to secure areas within a port. Workers are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible for their TWIC and can pre-enroll online at www.tsa.gov/twic. Additional information and a framework showing expected compliance dates by Captain of the Port zone is available on the U.S. Coast Guard's Homeport Web site at http://homeport.uscg.mil/twic. Captain of the Port zone maps with ports annotated are available on that Web site under General Information, COTP Zone Maps. You may also call 1-866-DHS-TWIC (1-866-347-8942) or 1-877-MTSA-AID (1-877-687-2243) for more information. For assistance via e-mail, please send queries to credentialing@dhs.gov.


Anti-piracy program extended
for Somalia territorial waters

LONDON — United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has pledged his support for an extension of the mandate, given in United Nations Security Council resolution 1816 (2008), enabling states cooperating with the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia to enter the country's territorial waters and use all necessary means in order to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea, consistent with relevant international law. That mandate is due to expire on December 1, 2008, i.e. six months after the adoption of the resolution, on June 2, 2008. In a letter to Mr. Mitropoulos, Mr. Ban said he remains "seriously concerned" about the dangers posed by piracy in the Gulf of Aden and was "acutely aware" of its impact on the ability of the United Nations to deliver humanitarian assistance to Somalia. He also said he was encouraged by the Security Council's adoption, on October 7, 2008, of resolution 1838 (2008) on this issue. Mr. Ban added, "We must do more and act quickly to fight this terrible scourge.


Crew of Coast Guard cutter
scaring up Halloween tours

SEATTLE — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter ALERT is offering Halloween tours aboard the ship Friday and Saturday next to the Columbia River Maritime Museum on Marine Drive in Astoria, Ore. Tours themed for young children are scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tours for older audiences are scheduled from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The crew will be collecting a donation of a canned food item per tour for the Astoria Food Bank. Tour participants may wear a costume.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Bradwood Landing responds
to call for FERC rehearing

PORTLAND — Bradwood Landing spokesman Joe Desmond, senior vice president for external affairs, had the following comment regarding requests in recent days by several parties to FERC for rehearing of the agency’s September 18 approval of the Bradwood Landing LNG terminal: “The requests are part of the process to ensure that FERC addresses all appropriate aspects of the Bradwood Landing project. We expect that FERC will carefully consider and respond to all relevant issues raised in the filings. In addition to reviewing rehearing requests, FERC (in consultation with the regional office of NMFS) will also issue a Biological Assessment that will thoroughly review environmental impacts of the project, as required by the Endangered Species Act. “Bradwood Landing has committed in writing to both Oregon and Washington that we will satisfy all applicable state permitting requirements. Our project cannot proceed until we have met those requirements as well as the conditions placed upon the project by FERC and the Clatsop County. “We believe the review of our project has been thorough and transparent, and that it will continue as such throughout the remaining federal, state and local processes. It would be premature for anyone to draw conclusions about the adequacy of the process until all state and federal agencies have completed their reviews. We look forward to working with state and federal agencies to address any concerns they have regarding the project.” The Bradwood Landing LNG terminal and its associated 36 mile pipeline would provide a new source of natural gas directly into the Oregon and Washington natural gas market.


Oregon governor calls for
Bradwood Landing rehearing

SALEM, OR — Following his announcement on September 18, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski has filed a request for a rehearing on the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas facility, citing both environmental and procedural concerns. A rehearing is the final administrative step the governor must take before legal action can be initiated. “FERC’s decision to license the facility before the state has approved required water quality, air quality and coastal consistency permits, before the effects on fish have been studied and before environmental mitigation plans have been fully developed shows a complete disregard for the state’s role and our concerns with the project. "By requesting a rehearing, FERC has one final opportunity to do this right. If Oregon is not afforded a rehearing, legal action is imminent.” Federal law provides FERC 30 days to review the request. If the request is denied, the state of Oregon will have 60 days to file in a U.S. Court of Appeals.


Port of Seattle terminal
nets environmental award

SEATTLE — The Port of Seattle's Fisherman's Terminal, Home Port of the North Pacific Fishing Fleet, is the recipient of a King County "5-Star" rating. The environmental award recognizes Fisherman's Terminal's efforts to reduce hazardous waste and the use of hazardous materials, and qualifies the terminal for the Washington Clean Marina/Envirostars Program. Staff at the Port of Seattle worked diligently in securing this award by providing documentation and detailed insight of Fisherman's Terminal's environmentally conscious practices. Sustainable practices include recycling programs, customer educational seminars, and customer compliance, as well as "Best Management Practices", which include assisting customers in adhering to Washington State Department of Ecology regulations to prevent pollution and maintain air and water quality.


Department of Justice files brief
in LA/Long Beach trucking case

ARLINGTON, VA — The U.S. Department of Justice has taken the step of filing an amicus brief in support of the American Trucking Associations’ challenge to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach’s Concession Plans. The litigation before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit involves the issue of whether the regulation of motor carrier operations at the ports violates federal law that preempts state and local laws that impact motor carrier rates, routes, and services. The Justice Department submitted the brief because Congress has delegated to the U.S. Department of Transportation the authority to implement that federal preemption provision. The application of the provision “is a matter of critical concern to the federal government,” the brief said.


Crowley presents Rob Clapp
with Thomas Crowley Trophy

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Rob Clapp, vice president of pricing and yield management for Crowley Maritime Corporation's liner services groups, was awarded a 2007 Thomas Crowley trophy, the company's highest honor, at recent ceremonies in Jacksonville. Created 20 years ago, the Thomas Crowley Trophy award honors employees with outstanding performance, whose dedication, leadership, initiative and productivity most clearly reflect those of the company's founder. The trophy, a limited edition, bronze sculpture depicting young Thomas Crowley as he ferried goods to and from ships on San Francisco Bay in the early 1890s, is a tribute to the founder of the company as well as the winners of the award. Mr. Clapp began his career with Crowley in 1988 as an accountant, and has held a number of positions of increasing responsibility, mostly in accounting, finance and management reporting. He served as director of finance for Latin America before being promoted to vice president of pricing and yield management for that group in 2005. Earlier this year he assumed responsibility for all liner pricing and yield management activities for Crowley's liner shipping operations.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, October 20, 2008

Final pieces of NEW CARISSA
removed from Coos Bay beach

COOS BAY — TITAN Salvage, Crowley Maritime Corporation's salvage and wreck removal company, has reported that it has completed its contracted work for the NEW CARISSA wreck removal in Coos Bay, Oregon. The last visible piece of the stern section of the NEW CARISSA was removed September 23. And after four months of work and several days of diving to clear the seabed of the final 50 tons of debris, the last load of NEW CARISSA scrap landed at the Empire dock in Coos Bay on September 29. With the removal last week of TITAN's two jackup barges, the KARLISSA A and KARLISSA B, which were raised 40 feet above the surf zone, the wreck removal few thought possible was done. On February 4, 1999 the NEW CARISSA ran aground near Coos Bay. The Oregon Department of State Lands signed a contract with Titan Salvage in the summer of 2007 to remove the remaining stern section. Titan's Managing Director David Parrot and Salvage Master Shelby Harris led the company's 20-person salvage team.


Washington ferry WALLA WALLA
returns to Edmonds/Kingston route

OLYMPIA — As of Oct. 17, the WSDOT Ferries Division reports the 188-car WALLA WALLA returned to service on the Edmonds/Kingston ferry route. The WALLA WALLA joined the 188-car SPOKANE, returning the route to its usual vehicle capacity. The 144-car HYAK has been on the route since Oct. 7 while the WALLA WALLA was out for necessary repairs. The WALLA WALLA’s return frees the HYAK to return to the Seattle/Bremerton route, so the 144-car KALEETAN can go into WSDOT’s Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility for its required annual inspection. WSDOT Ferries Division removed the WALLA WALLA from service on Monday, Oct. 6, after a planned inspection revealed damage to a thrust bearing, a major piece of equipment on the vessel. To repair the thrust bearing, crews had to cut a hole in the car deck; remove a 6-foot-long shaft weighing two and a half tons; send it to a machine shop for repairs, then reinstall the shaft and put the vessel back together. The ferry system currently has no back-up vessels, so when emergency repairs are needed, vessels must be repositioned to serve customers system-wide. This situation is intensified during the winter maintenance season, when more vessels are in WSDOT’s maintenance facility or commercial shipyards for annual maintenance and inspections.


Marcon brokers sale
of tug WAHOO 4

COUPEVILLE, WA — Marcon International, Inc. reports that Operaciones Tecnicas Marinas Ltda (OTM) of Colombia has sold their 2,000BHP tug WAHOO 4 to Mexican buyers on private terms. The 25.8m x 8.1m x 3.7m tug, built by Bijlholt BV of Foxhol, Netherlands in 1984, is powered by twin Stork Werkspoor 6FHD240 main engines driving controllable pitch propellers. Originally owned by Smit Harbour Towage Rotterdam BV, the tug was delivered as the SMIT NOORWEGEN. Current sellers had purchased the vessel from Smit-Lloyd (Antilles) NV in 2005 and overhauled the tug in 2007. WAHOO 4 is equipped with a single drum towing winch. Tug was originally classed with Bureau Veritas but this was withdrawn in recent years. This is the second sale Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, Washington has concluded to these buyers within recent weeks. Marcon was the sole broker in both transactions. To date in 2008, Marcon International Inc., as shipbrokers, has sold or chartered 55 vessels and barges, including five vessels and barges sold on a private & confidential basis. Sales of several additional vessels and barges are expected to be concluded within the next two weeks.


Boeing's Long Beach facility
earns ISO 14001 certification

LONG BEACH, CA — Boeing has announced that its Global Mobility Systems and C-17 Globemaster III final assembly facility in Long Beach, Calif., has earned an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 certification, becoming the latest Boeing site to validate its environmental management system. Boeing is working to have all of its major manufacturing facilities certified to the ISO 14001 standard by the end of 2008. ISO 14001 is considered a global benchmark of an organization's commitment to understand and continuously improve its environmental performance. independent auditors from Det Norske Veritas, an accredited certification body of quality, environmental and safety management systems, audited the Long Beach site Sept. 15-18 to ensure an established environmental management system exists and that employees understand their roles in protecting the environment. The Long Beach site was commended for eight noteworthy efforts during the audit, including high praise for an Earth Day event that helped employees learn how to conserve energy and care for the environment. Long Beach joins Exmouth, Australia; Everett, Wash.; Portland, Ore., Salt Lake City and San Antonio as Boeing sites that already have achieved ISO 14001 certification.


Truck technician scholarship
presented to Maryland student

ARLINGTON, VA — Brian G. Haines, Taneytown, Md., is the recipient of a truck technician scholarship for the 2008-2009 academic year provided by WyoTech in partnership with the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of American Trucking Associations. The scholarship, part of an ongoing effort by TMC's Professional Technician Development Committee (PTDC) to promote and enhance the professionalism of commercial vehicle technicians, was formally announced during TMC’s 2008 Fall Meeting, held Sept. 15-18 in Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Haines of Taneytown, Md., is the fourth recipient of the TMC/WyoTech Diesel Truck Technician Scholarship. He is a 2008 graduate of Francis Scott Key High School in Union Bridge, Md., where he earned a 4.3 GPA. His academic course work included advanced math and science, as well as industrial arts classes.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, October 17, 2008

Port of Portland names Cullen
2008 Compass Award winner

PORTLAND — The Port of Portland has announced that Ted Cullen, director WHQ meeting & events, global meetings & events & travel for Nike has received the port’s 2008 Compass Award. The award, presented at the port’s annual “Gateway to the Globe” meeting, recognizes the contributions of community individuals and entities that have demonstrated exceptional support for the Port of Portland. Compass Award recipients serve as civic and/or corporate role models through their outstanding contributions to the port and the communities it serves. Recipients can be recognized for overall support of the Port’s strategic mission or any of port’s individual business units including aviation, marine, environmental affairs, properties and business development. Mr. Cullen has been a member of the port’s International Air Service Committee since 2001 and the co-chair of that crucial group for two years. During his tenure, Portland International Airport has enjoyed significantly enhanced international service, with the additions of nonstop flights to Frankfurt via Lufthansa, and Tokyo and Amsterdam via Northwest Airlines.


Foss Maritime taps Lauer
as business development manager

SEATTLE — Mike Lauer has been named Foss Maritime Company's manager of new business development planning and analysis, a new position that reports to Foss' vice president of global services. The position was created to assist in the growth of Foss Maritime's global services division, which manages complex projects across the globe, often in extreme environments such as Alaska and the Russian Far East. Mr. Lauer is a recent MBA graduate from the University of Washington. He received his undergraduate degree from Oregon State University in Civil Engineering and is licensed as a professional Civil Engineer in California. Mr. Lauer's extensive experience includes working for Bechtel, one of Foss's global service customers, on major infrastructure projects in California and Washington.


Weekly rail freight totals
return to positive side

WASHINGTON, DC — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was up slightly during the week ended October 4 in comparison with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Total volume was estimated at 35.7 billion ton-miles, up 0.8 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight in the week totaled 336,457 cars, off 0.1 percent from last year. Volume was up 0.9 percent in the West but down 1.6 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 244,828 trailers or containers, up 0.8 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was off 3.5 percent while container traffic was up 2.0 percent. Among carload commodity groups showing gains from last year, coal was up 7.7 percent while the "catch-all" all other category rose 45.4 percent. On the downside, automotive volume fell by 27.8 percent, nonmetallic minerals were off 13.5 percent and lumber and wood products declined 12.6 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 40 weeks of 2008 totaled 13,013,645 carloads, down 0.2 percent from 2007; 8,991,459 trailers or containers, down 3.0 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.35 trillion ton-miles, up 0.9 percent from last year.


Cargill agrees to purchase
Madison, Minnesota grain elevator

MADISON, MN — Cargill has announced that it has signed an Option to Purchase agreement to acquire the grain elevator at Madison, Minn. owned by Madison Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Glacial Lakes Energy, LLC. Located 45 miles east of Watertown, S.D., the Madison grain elevator is equipped with a grain dryer and features a 1.2-million-bushel storage capacity. Pending completion of all approval steps in the acquisition agreement, Cargill will commence operating the Madison facility in time to complete this fall’s corn harvest.


Coast Guard Cutter HEALY
returns to Seattle homeport

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard Cutter HEALY, the nation's largest icebreaker, arrived at Pier 36 at Integrated Support Command last Wednesday, after completing a four-month scientific mission to the Arctic. With up to 50 embarked scientists, the HEALY's crew studied ecosystems in the Bering Sea, Arctic Ocean and the Extended Continental Shelf (ECS). The HEALY will undergo necessary maintenance in Seattle before the cutter gets underway for next year's mission. The HEALY, which was commissioned in 2000, is the nation's newest and largest of three polar icebreakers. The cutter is 420-feet long and has extensive scientific capabilities. The cutter has a permanent crew of 80 and is capable of other missions such as search and rescue, ship escort in polar ice, environmental protection, and the enforcement of laws and treaties in the polar regions.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Tidewater tug crew
honored by Coast Guard

SEATTLE — The crew of the Tidewater Tug INVADER was recently honored by the Coast Guard at the Tidewater Tug and Barge Lines office in Vancouver, Wash. The crew, including the tug's master Jeff Baeker, pilot Joe Daley, deck mechanics Mike Tuthill and John Hill and Army Corps of Engineers Biologist Connie Grant were were cited for their assistance with the rescue of the sternwheeler PORTLAND June 27. The Captain of the Port of Portland, Coast Guard Captain Fred Myer, presided over the ceremony and praised the crew for their quick thinking and immediate action when dealing with the situation. When the stern wheeler PORTLAND went aground and was disabled near Bonneville Dam, the Coast Guard immediately sent an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast over channel 16 asking any and all vessels in the area to lend assistance if possible. The crew of the INVADER was transiting the area and answered the call. The crew of the INVADER secured the disabled PORTLAND that was in danger of drifting into the Bonneville Dam lock system and towed the vessel to a safe moorage at the Columbia Gorge stern wheeler dock at Cascade Locks, Ore. All 97 people onboard, including crew and passengers, were safely evacuated to shore without injuries.


TSA carriers predict
container volume slowdown

OAKLAND — The U.S. housing and credit crunch, touching both consumer spending and business growth, is likely to constrain container volumes from Asia to the U.S. well into 2009, according to a forecast by the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA). But TSA, along with many independent analysts, sees a turnaround beginning in the second half of 2009, and the lines say they remain focused on addressing various fixed operating costs that have not been fully collected in rates and surcharges, and that continue to rise. Following a series of CEO-level meetings held in Geneva in late September, TSA reported a tradewide 6.9 percent year-to-date drop in Asia-U.S. cargo volumes over January-June, compared to the same period a year earlier – from 3.30 million to 3.07 million 40-foot containers (FEU). Through July, the year-to-date gap widened to 7.5 percent. Historically high oil prices, falling property values and tight credit led to slow back-to-school consumer spending and increased caution in the retail sector for the rest of the year. TSA forecasts that full-year 2008 cargo demand could decline by as much as eight percent.


NOL no longer in running
for Hapag-Lloyd container business

SINGAPORE — Neptune Orient Lines Limited (NOL) has announced that it is no longer engaged in the bidding process for the sale of the Hapag-Lloyd container shipping business. On September 26, 2008, the company submitted a binding bid to acquire Hapag-Lloyd from its owner, TUI AG. NOL's offer has lapsed. NOL Group President & CEO, Ron Widdows, said, "We submitted a bid that we believed fully valued Hapag-Lloyd and which addressed the challenging market conditions facing the container shipping industry." Mr. Widdows concluded, "NOL will now put all its energy into managing through the current container shipping downcycle and providing our customers with the service they have come to expect of our organisation."


New nonstop flights begin between
Portland, Klamath Falls and North Bend

PORTLAND — Oregon communities recently celebrated nonstop air service connecting Klamath Falls and North Bend with Portland. Members of the Oregon Commercial Air Service Coalition, instrumental in establishing the service on United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, celebrated in all three cities, flying from Klamath Falls to Portland International Airport, and then to North Bend. To secure the nonstop air service connecting Klamath Falls and North Bend with Portland, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski formed the Oregon Commercial Air Service Coalition, which helped establish a revenue guarantee contract with the City of Klamath Falls and the Coos County Airport District with United Airlines/SkyWest Airlines. In addition to the local dollars, federal grants and assistance from the City of Portland helped finalize the contract. Port of Portland is providing marketing support to help make the service successful.


MOL holds successful
LNG shore power supply test

TOKYO — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has announced that MOL and California-based CleanAir Logix, Inc. (CAL) have successfully tested a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled shore power supply system on the containership MOL ENTERPRISE (4,500 TEUs). The electricity was supplied to the vessel while many visitors, including Port of Los Angels officials looked on. MOL will use the results of this test to develop and provide shore power supply sources at the Port of Los Angeles. CAL used a system that was connected to a power cable for the vessel's bow thruster motor. Power was connected to this line from an on-shore generator that runs on LNG, substantially reducing emissions of pollutants such as NOx and SOx compared to running the vessel's generators, which operate on heavy fuel oil. During the test, only two of the ship's four onboard generators were in use.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Port of Bellingham releases
new waterfront project information

BELLINGHAM — The Port of Bellingham has released a supplement to its earlier draft environmental study, describing the possible impacts of redeveloping a 220-acre portion of the community waterfront redevelopment over a span of at least 20 years. The document is available for public review and comment for the next 30 days. This study is an essential step as the port and city consider rezoning and redeveloping The Waterfront District. This additional environmental analysis focuses on the port's Preferred Alternative for the development. The Preferred Alternative is based on the June 10, 2008 "Proposal" which was presented to the public and is also available on the port's website. The proposal features a development that -- at full build-out -- has approximately six million square feet of building space, 33 acres of new public parks and trails, new downtown marina and restored shorelines, a rotated street grid and extensive sustainable and environmental development techniques. The supplemental draft environmental analysis and the earlier DEIS can be reviewed and downloaded at the port's web site under Latest News at: www.portofbellingham.com. Copies of the draft environmental study are available for review at the following locations:
• Bellingham Central Library, 210 Central Ave.;
• Fairhaven-Carnegie Library, 1117 - 12th St;
• Port of Bellingham, 1801 Roeder Ave.; and,
• City of Bellingham, Planning Office, 210 Lottie St.,
A limited number of printed copies may be purchased at the Port of Bellingham's Administrative Office at 1801 Roeder Avenue. Copies are also available for purchase at the Port of Bellingham in hard copy or are available at no charge on a CD (pdf format).


Container & Intermodal Institute
names Connie Award winners

NEWARK, NJ — The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) will present the 2008 Connie Awards this year to Douglas Tilden, chairman of Ports America Group and Ken Bloom, chief executive officer for INTTRA. The industry-wide luncheon will take place on Monday, December 8, 2008 at The Newark Club, Newark, NJ. Mr. Tilden heads Ports America, which is the largest stevedoring and terminal operating company in the Americas. Mr. Bloom is the first person honored with the Connie Award from the international technology field. Each recipient will be honored for his significant influence in containerization in worldwide trade and transportation according to Joe Cervenak, CII president.


Corps breaking up
pair of dam projects

PORTLAND — Col. Steven R. Miles, commander of the Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has decided to split John Day and The Dalles dams into two separate projects. Portland District completed The Dalles Dam in 1960 and operated it as a stand-alone multipurpose project with a staff of 99. Upon completion of John Day Dam in 1968, Portland District placed it under the existing The Dalles Dam organization, creating what is now known as The Dalles-John Day Project, which also includes Willow Creek Dam, completed in 1983. The project had a combined staff equivalent to 208 full-time employees in 2007. John Day Dam and The Dalles Dam are respectively the second and third largest hydropower-producing dams in the Corps, and together have almost twice as many generating units and three times the power production as Bonneville Dam. The Dalles-John Day Project also has over three times the storage capacity and reservoir shoreline as the Bonneville Lock and Dam Project, and more than twice the recreational use areas.


Mediated talks break down
between Boeing, machinists union

SEATTLE — Boeing has issued the following statement after a second round of mediated talks with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers adjourned without an agreement: "In light of the current business environment and global market challenges we face, we had hoped we could find a way to move forward. We worked very hard to find solutions, and we are extremely disappointed that the talks broke off," said Doug Kight, Boeing vice president of Human Resources. "We want to resolve this strike so employees can return to work, but we cannot sacrifice our ability to continuously improve productivity and our long-term competitiveness for an agreement. Given current economic conditions, it is now more important than ever that we retain the ability to respond to a dynamic, uncertain environment." No new talks are currently scheduled. Approximately 27,000 employees in Washington, Oregon and Kansas have been on strike since Sept. 6.


Container education group
expanding resources for students

LONDON — The Container Shipping Information Service (CSIS) is launching a new set of resources designed for use in schools. Its aim is to provide teachers with the tools and information to introduce discussions on global trade and container shipping into the classroom. Among the new resources is an interactive animated video which allows users to follow the journey of certain products from source to store with quizzes and information pit-stops along the way. Also available are a ready-made container shipping presentation covering everything from history to interesting facts and figures, and a pack of information about the crucial Panama Canal. All of this builds on the knowledge available on the CSIS website, www.shipsandboxes.com, and encourages the next generation to think about the way goods are transported and how we benefit from the container shipping industry.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, October 13, 2008

Vessel arrives in Seattle
with smoldering containers

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard, Washington Department of Ecology (ECY,) American President Line (APL) shipping company and the Seattle Fire Department along with assistance from U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are continuing to investigate a fire aboard a cargo vessel. The 873-foot motor vessel APL PERU reported smoke and heated bulkheads in and around the ship's number five cargo hold Sunday, Oct. 5, while transiting from Hong Kong. The ship's internal firefighting system was able to significantly suppress the fire and the ship's crew constantly monitored cargo hold temperatures. The ship was under its own power as it arrived in Seattle for further investigation and inspection. Four containers that were putting off high heat were removed from the vessel Saturday. Members of the Seattle Fire Department cut holes into the containers and sprayed water inside in order to extinguish the smoldering contents of what is believed to be clothing, shoes, and appliances. No other source of heat or smoke has been detected aboard the vessel and the remaining containers will be offloaded according to schedule. The cause of the fire is under investigation.The cargo hold does not contain hazardous cargo and there are no reports of injuries or pollution.


Federal government eyeing
new Marine Highways system

WASHINGTON, DC — The federal government will establish a new national network of marine highways to help move cargo across the country in order to cut congestion on some of the nation’s busiest highways, announced U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Thomas Barrett. The Department’s "Marine Highways" initiative calls for the selection and designation of key maritime inland and coastal maritime corridors as marine highways. These routes will be eligible for up to $25 million in existing federal capital construction funds, he noted, and ensures that these communities will continue to qualify for up to $1.7 billion in federal highway congestion mitigation and air quality (CMAQ) funds. The Deputy Secretary noted that the initiative makes it easier for companies to take advantage of the new maritime routes by providing businesses with assistance in locating shippers willing to move goods by water.


IMO committee adopts
new emissions regulations

LONDON — The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) unanimously adopted amendments to the MARPOL Annex VI regulations to reduce harmful emissions from ships even further, when it met last week, for its 58th session at IMO's London headquarters. The main changes to MARPOL Annex VI will see a progressive reduction in sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions from ships, with the global sulphur cap reduced initially to 3.50 percent (from the current 4.50 percent), effective from January 1, 2012; then progressively to 0.50 percent, effective from January 1, 2020, subject to a feasibility review to be completed no later than 2018. The limits applicable in Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) will be reduced to 1.00 percent, beginning on July 1,2010 (from the current 1.50 percent); being further reduced to 0.10 percent, effective from January 1, 2015. Progressive reductions in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from marine engines were also agreed, with the most stringent controls on so-called "Tier III" engines, i.e. those installed on ships constructed on or after January 1,2016, operating in Emission Control Areas.


Lumber output for 2007
drops for second straight year

PORTLAND — With the housing market on the ropes, lumber production at Western sawmills in 2007 slipped for the second straight year to the lowest annual volume in more than a decade, according to final production figures prepared by Western Wood Products Association. Mills in the 12 Western states produced 16.32 billion board feet of softwood lumber in 2007, down 9.3 percent from the previous year. The estimated wholesale value of the lumber was $6.1 billion, compared to $6.8 billion in 2006. The volume was the lowest since 1996, when Western mills produced just 15.8 billion board feet. WWPA compiled the final industry totals for 2007 following its annual survey of some 199 mills operating in the continental West.


Trailer Bridge earns
SmartWay designation

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Trailer Bridge, Inc. has announced that the company has received an Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency SmartWaySM Transport Partnership for its leadership in conserving energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from its transportation and freight activities. Trailer Bridge was the first marine company to join the EPA’s SmartWay Transport Partnership, a voluntary business/government collaboration focused on increasing efficiency and reducing emissions. Because all of its vessels use a cleaner distillate fuel all the time, Trailer Bridge’s entire fleet already meets all the fuel quality standards recently recommended by the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization (IMO). The U.S. Senate passed a bill approving the IMO framework and on July 21, 2008, President Bush signed that bill into law.


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, October 10, 2008

TWIC compliance date set
for Portland/Puget Sound port zones

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration have announced that Feb. 28, 2009, is the Transportation Worker Identification Credential compliance date for owners and operators of facilities located within the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Zones of Portland, Ore., Puget Sound, Wash., and San Francisco Bay, Calif., while the compliance date for Captain of the Port Zone of New York is March 23, 2009. Ports affected by the Feb. 28, 2009, compliance date include, among others, Astoria, Portland, Pacific City, Coos Bay and Port Orford, Ore., Longview, Blaine, Neah Bay, Anacortes, Everett, Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia, Wash., and Crescent City, Humboldt, Bodega Bay, Stockton, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Monterey Harbor, Calif.


Port of Vancouver, USA
taps Marler as contracts manager

VANCOUVER, USA — Julianna Marler has joined the Port of Vancouver, USA as senior manager of contracts. Her responsibilities include reviewing and approving contracts, interpreting and assuring contract compliance to state and federal laws, regulations and port procedures, establishing procurement standards and negotiating contracts as well as developing and overseeing the newly refocused contracts department. Mrs. Marler has extensive experience in managing procurement and contracts functions. Before coming to the port she worked at the City of Vancouver for nine years – with the last five years as their procurement services manager, where she oversaw purchasing, contracts and accounts payable.


Rail freight traffic
drops during week

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. railroads originated 1,278,188 carloads of freight in September 2008, down 62,029 carloads (4.6 percent) from September 2007, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. U.S. railroads also originated 918,319 intermodal units in September 2008, a decrease of 44,959 trailers and containers (4.7 percent) from September 2007. Three of the 19 major commodity categories tracked by the AAR — coal, metallic ores, and the catch-all “all other” category — saw U.S. carload increases in September 2008 compared to September 2007. Coal was up 17,062 carloads (3.0 percent) to 592,306 carloads in September, while carloads of metallic ores were up 4,648 carloads (16.8 percent). Among other commodities, carloads of motor vehicles and equipment were down 19,756 carloads (24.7 percent); carloads of chemicals were down 14,716 carloads (12.1 percent); and carloads of crushed stone, sand, and gravel were down 14,221 carloads (16.1 percent). Carloads of grain were down 8.3 percent for the month (7,993 carloads).


Boeing officials talking
with striking machinists

SEATTLE — Boeing has confirmed that senior officials from the company and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) recently met to review issues. "We have kept lines of communications open and have agreed to pursue additional talks through the federal mediator," said Doug Kight, Boeing vice president of Human Resources. "We are interested in exploring whether there is a path forward to resolve the strike. There are a number of issues to resolve, and any agreement must allow us to remain competitive and provide the flexibility to manage our business." A date for formal mediated talks has yet to be scheduled. Approximately 27,000 IAM-represented employees in Washington, Oregon and Kansas have been on strike since Sept. 6.


Clean-up process continues
for derelict vessel in Columbia

SEATTLE — The Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Washington Department of Ecology are continuing to clean and remove hazardous materials from the derelict ex-USS WASHTENAW COUNTY (LST-1166) on the Oregon side of the Columbia River near Longview, Wash. and Rainier, Ore. All asbestos has been removed from the superstructure of the vessel. Workers have also removed all other hazardous materials from the superstructure, such as lead paint. Asbestos removal continues throughout various spaces below the main deck of the ship. The removal of all oily waste from the vessel is in progress. The project is running slightly ahead of schedule with an estimated clean-up completion date of the end of October 2008.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, October 9, 2008

Shipper pleads guilty
to violating pollution act

SEATTLE — STX Pan Ocean Co., Ltd., a South Korean shipping company has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships by knowingly failing to maintain an accurate Garbage Record Book. The inaccuracy was a failure to record a dumping incident during which approximately six 55-gallon drums, 30 plastic lined rice sacks, and approximately 200 garbage bags containing oil contaminated grain were thrown into the ocean during a voyage from Korea to Longview, July 24. Two senior officers of the marine motor vessel PAN VOYAGER, a ship owned and operated by STX, Emilio D. Canillo and Bong Jun Gang pleaded guilty to Misprision of a Felony for failing to notify Coast Guard inspectors of the false document. As part of the plea agreement, the shipping line paid a $500,000 fine, and made a $250,000 community service payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for use in projects to restore Puget Sound. The company also agreed to a stringent environmental compliance plan with outside auditing.


WSDOT shuffles ferries
due to WALLA WALLA repairs

SEATTLE — WSDOT reduced Seattle/Bremerton ferry service to one 144-auto ferry and supplemental passenger-only service at the beginning of the service day on Tuesday, Oct. 7. This allows WSDOT to restore two-boat service on the Edmonds/Kingston route. The 188-car WALLA WALLA that was operating on the Edmonds/Kingston route had to be removed from service on Monday for repairs. WSDOT has no spare vessels because several vessels are out of service for regularly scheduled maintenance and inspections. To fill in for the WALLA WALLA, WSDOT will move the 144-car HYAK to the Edmonds/Kingston route, along with the 188-car SPOKANE. The 144-car KALEETAN will continue to serve the Seattle/Bremerton route. In addition, WSDOT will contract with private operator Victoria Express for passenger-only service to supplement the single auto-ferry service. A complete schedule is available at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries. WSDOT is working to make a vessel available as quickly as possible to restore Seattle/Bremerton to two-auto-ferry service, but service on that route is expected to be reduced for the rest of this week.


Gray Line of Seattle earns
King County environmental nod

SEATTLE — Gray Line of Seattle has earned the highest green rating possible -- five stars -- from King County's EnviroStars program, earning it recognition for improving the environment and reducing hazardous waste. Businesses certified by EnviroStars, which is sponsored by King County's Hazardous Waste Management Program, are given a two- to five-star rating based on their demonstrated commitment to reducing hazardous waste. The higher the star rating, the more proactive the business has been, and the more recognition they receive. The program also provides consumers with an objective way to identify environmentally sound businesses. A division of Holland America Line, Inc., Gray Line of Seattle is a full-service tour operator specializing in Pacific Northwest vacation packages, customized sightseeing and package tours, charter services, and airport shuttles to hotels and cruise ships.


Carriers come together
to form new Asia service

TOKYO — Wan Hai Lines Ltd. (WHL) and Pacific International Lines (Pte) Ltd. (PIL) together with Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) have agreed to merge their two existing services, China Middle East service and China Straits Gulf service, and launch a new service from North China to the Middle East. The new service will commence from early November with weekly sailing deploying six Panamax size vessels of 4250TEU capacity. WHL will provide three vessels, PIL two vessels and “K” Line will provide one vessel in this joint service. The port rotation will be as follows: Qingdao (Sun-Mon)- Lianyungang (Mon-Tue)- Shanghai (Wed-Wed)- Ningbo (Thu-Fri)- Hong Kong (Sat-Sat)- Shekou (Sun-Sun)- Singapore (Thu-Thu)- Port Kelang (Fri-Sat)- Jebel Ali (Sat-Sun)- Bandar Abbas (Mon-Tue)- Karachi (Thu-Fri)- Mundra (Fri- Sat)- Port Kelang (Fri-Sat)- Singapore (Sun-Mon)- Hong Kong (Thu-Fri)-Qingdao The new joint service will provide a transit time of 22 days from Qingdao to Jebel Ali. The new joint service will also enhance the existing network of the three lines in the Asian region.


Freight services index
drops during month of August

WASHINGTON, DC — The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI) fell 1.9 percent in August from its July level, declining after four consecutive monthly increases, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reports. For the first eight months of 2008, the freight index advanced 2.2 percent, its largest increase for the first eight months of the year since 2002. The index rose 0.1 percent in the first eight months of the year in 2007. The freight index has increased in six of the first eight months this year, declining only in March and August. At 110.8 in August, the freight TSI was up 2.6 percent since its recent low of 108.0 in September 2007 but down 2.1 percent from its historic 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.


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Ports of Seattle, Tacoma
holding joint meeting today

SEATTLE/TACOMA — Port of Seattle and Port of Tacoma commissioners are scheduled to meet at noon today to talk about their recent joint trade mission to China as well as progress made in other cooperative efforts. Regional promotion was one of four areas of shared interest the commissions identified at their first joint study session in April, and staff members will share the results of recent collaborative efforts. The two agencies have identified common transportation infrastructure priorities, and will present a list of those projects at the public meeting. Other topics to be discussed include security and the environment. Today’s meeting provides an opportunity for staff to update both commissions on progress made within each of those areas. A full agenda for the meeting can be found at: http://www.portseattle.org/about/organization/commission/meetingagenda.shtml. Members of the public are invited to attend. The meeting will take place from noon to 3:00 p.m. at Sea-Tac International Airport. Live audio stream from the meeting can be heard at: http://www.portseattle.org/about/organization/commission/commissionaudio.shtml.


Port of Vancouver, USA
buying second mobile harbor crane

VANCOUVER, USA — Following up on authorization from the Port of Vancouver USA Board of Commissioners, the port has signed a contract with Austrian crane manufacturer Liebherr to purchase a second mobile harbor crane, Executive Director Larry Paulson announced. It will be the port’s second Liebherr mobile harbor crane and will match the first one, which the port bought in 2006. That crane is capable of lifting 140 metric tons, making it the largest mobile harbor crane in North America. The second crane will have the same capacity. The Liebherr LHM 500S – capable of lifting the equivalent of an adult blue whale – will be built in Rostock, Germany and delivered by Star Shipping directly to the Port of Vancouver, with the voyage beginning in January 2009. It will be assembled at the port, and commissioned shortly thereafter.


Container report predicts
larger slowdown at major ports

WASHINGTON, DC — Cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is now expected to decline 6.5 percent in 2008 compared with 2007 as merchants carefully manage inventories in response to the nation’s slow economy, according to the monthly Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Global Insight. Volume is projected to total 15.43 million Twenty-Foot-Equivalent Units for the year, compared with 16.5 million TEU in 2007. The estimate is down from 15.5 million projected in September, which would have been a six percent decline from 2007. The total would be the lowest since 2005, when 15.4 million TEU moved through the ports. One TEU is one 20-foot container or its equivalent.


Port of Tacoma Oks lease
with Union Pacific Railroad

TACOMA — At its Thursday, October 2 meeting, the Port of Tacoma Commission authorized Port Executive Director Timothy J. Farrell to sign a lease and operating agreement with Union Pacific Railroad. When signed by both parties, Union Pacific (UP) will handle a minimum of 35,000 container intermodal lifts at the port's South Intermodal Yard. Activity is expected to begin later this year. The lease term is five years with five one-year renewal options. UP will lease 10 acres with provisions to expand up to 25 acres during the term of the lease. The railroad will guarantee a minimum of 35,000 intermodal lifts during the first year of operations and 45,000 lifts for the second year. Thereafter, the minimum lift guarantee will be increased by five percent per year. Lift fees charged to UP will be based upon Port of Tacoma costs from Pacific Rail Service.


US Deputy Commerce Secretary
hosting business summit in Georgia

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Commerce Deputy Secretary John Sullivan will host a U.S.-Georgia Business Summit in Tbilisi, Georgia, Oct. 27, 2008, on the occasion of a Commerce Department-certified trade mission to Georgia the week of Oct. 26-28, 2008. U.S. and Georgian business leaders and senior officials will attend the summit on Monday, Oct. 27, which will highlight U.S. resources for expanding trade and investment with Georgia and opportunities in the country’s growth sectors. Summit participants will include Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili; Georgian Prime Minister Vladimer Gurgenidze; President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation Robert Mosbacher, Jr.; and Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency Larry Walther.


NEWS BULLETIN
Monday, October 6, 2008

APL celebration marks
line's 160th anniversary

SAN FRANCISCO — Global container shipping company, APL, turns 160 years old today. Last Saturday night, the carrier's year-long anniversary observance climaxed at a celebration on the San Francisco waterfront where APL first made maritime history during California's Gold Rush. The company was honored by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association at the association's ninth annual Maritime Heritage Awards. Civic, government and maritime leaders joined in the celebration. Starting in 1848 as the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, APL has a long history of industry firsts, said Mr. Widdows. It includes:
• The first rail line across Panama - a precursor to the Panama Canal;
• The first regularly scheduled trans-Pacific service;
• The first post-Panamax vessels, which drove trade to the U.S. West Coast;
• The first widespread use of double-stack rail cars, developed by APL;
• The first 45-, 48- and 53-foot ocean containers; and
• The first day-definite, guaranteed delivery of U.S. import cargo.


Port Metro Vancouver aids Delta
in purchase of Ladner Harbor property

VANCOUVER, BC — Port Metro Vancouver has announced it will contribute $2 million to the Corporation of Delta for the acquisition of the Seven Seas Fishing Company site in Ladner. The purchase of this property will help Delta secure public waterfront land to revitalize Ladner Harbour. The $2 million contribution is being made by the port as part of the Deltaport Third Berth Project Community Amenities Fund. The Deltaport Third Berth Project will add a third berth and twenty hectares of container storage to the existing Deltaport container terminal at Roberts Bank in Delta. Originally built as a warehouse in 1892, the Seven Seas Fishing Company site is located in the 4800 block of Chisholm Street in Ladner. The Corporation of Delta now owns the entire Seven Seas property, and public access to this section of the waterfront is assured.


Evergreen Line joining
Asia/Australia services

TAIPEI — Evergreen Line has confirmed it will join the two Asia Australia Services, known as AAS and AAN, operated by four steamship lines -- APL, Hamburg Süd, Hapag-Lloyd and Hyundai Merchant Marine. Compared to Evergreen's existing TCA route, the new service pattern enables the carrier to offer wider port coverage and improved transit time. The new arrangement will commence in the last week of this month. With the participation of Evergreen, the five ships of AAN service will be upgraded from the range of 2,500-2,700 TEU to average 3,500 TEU. The service rotations of AAN and AAS are listed as follows. The AAN (Northern Loop) service will call weekly at: Yokohama, Osaka, Pusan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Yokohama. The AAS (Southern Loop) weekly route is: Kaohsiung, Yantian, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Kaohsiung.


NASSCO lays keel
for ninth T-AKE vessel

SAN DIEGO — General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, has laid the keel for the ninth dry cargo-ammunition ship in the U.S. Navy's T-AKE program. Construction of the ship began in April. The ship will be named later and is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in the first quarter of 2010. NASSCO has delivered the first five ships of the T-AKE class and has construction contracts for five additional ships. The Navy is expected to order the construction of a total of 14 vessels. Located in San Diego, NASSCO employs more than 4,800 people. In addition to the T-AKE program, the shipyard is building the first three product carriers under a nine-ship order from U.S. Shipping Partners L.P.


Portland Shipping Club
announces Haunted Pizza Night

PORTLAND — Portland Shipping Club has scheduled a Haunted Pizza Night from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Old Town Pizza, 5201 N.E. Martin Luther King Blvd. in Portland. Cost of $22 for members and $27 for non members includes pizza, salad, two beverages and dessert. The event will feature a 50/50 raffle to support the club. Free parking is available For more information, contact Kate Deeks (503) 220-2092 or e-mail deeks@pdxmex.com


NEWS BULLETIN
Friday, October 3, 2008

Corps to temporarily close
John Day navigation lock

PORTLAND — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will close the navigation lock at John Day Dam to all river traffic from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, and from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 9. Workers will use the time to perform repairs to the lock's upstream gate guides. This work is required before the Corps can make additional repairs and reinstall the upstream gate, which was damaged last Spring. Completed in 1968, the John Day Dam spans the Columbia River from Washington to Oregon about 25 miles east of The Dalles, Ore., 215 miles upstream from the Pacific Ocean. The John Day Lock and Dam is located at exit 109 off Interstate 84.


Teamster picketing Oak Harbor
struck by replacement driver

PASCO — A Teamster business agent was hit October 2, by a truck driven by a replacement worker as she was picketing legally in support of striking Oak Harbor Freight Lines' trucking employees in Pasco. Police have charged the driver with assault. Oak Harbor employees in the Northwest walked off the job Sept. 2. The Teamsters are picketing Oak Harbor Freight Lines' trucks in California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Eydie Dean, a business agent for Local 117 in Tukwila, was walking the picket line when a truck driven by a replacement worker pulled into the Oak Harbor Freight facility in Pasco. "I was standing on the picket line with my sign way up high and the driver could see it," Ms. Dean said. "He pulled forward and I said stop and he just laughed and kept going, pushing me about three feet." A security guard then came out and told the driver that Dean and other picketers had a right to be on the property, Ms. Dean added. The police were called and the driver was cited with simple assault, according to a police report filed by the Pasco Police Department.Ms. Dean said she was unhurt, but shaken, saying that nothing like this has ever happened to her before on a picket line.


Rail freight traffic count
affected by Hurricane Ike

WASHINGTON, DC — Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was off sharply during the week ended September 20 in comparison with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reports. Much of the decline can be attributed to disruptions caused by Hurricane Ike which struck the Gulf Coast September 13. Total volume was estimated at 32.8 billion ton-miles, down 6.8 percent from the comparable week last year. Carload freight in the week totaled 312,662 cars, off 7.8 percent from last year. Volume was down 10.4 percent in the West and 4.3 percent in the East. Intermodal volume, which is not included in the carload data, totaled 234,286 trailers or containers, down 6.2 percent from a year ago. Trailer volume was off 6.6 percent while container traffic was down 6.1 percent. Eighteen of 21 carload commodity groups were down from a year ago. Chemical loadings were down 21.7 percent while grain was off 22.6 percent and lumber and wood products fell by 25.0 percent. Coal volume was up 2.2 percent from a year ago while metallic ores rose 16.6 percent. Cumulative volume for the first 38 weeks of 2008 totaled 12,347,838 carloads, down 0.1 percent from 2007; 8,500,351 trailers or containers, down 3.1 percent; and total volume of an estimated 1.28 trillion ton-miles, up 1.0 percent from last year.


Matson continues string
of Quest for Quality awards

OAKLAND — Matson has been honored for the sixth consecutive year with Logistics Management magazine's annual Quest for Quality award in the Ocean Carrier category. Transportation service providers are rated by customers on five key criteria: on-time performance, value, customer service, information technology and equipment operations. Matson will be presented with the award on October 8 at the Quest for Quality awards dinner in Denver, which coincides with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) Annual Conference.


Washington governor names two
to Oil Spill Advisory Council

OLYMPIA — Washington Governor Christine Gregoire has made to appointments to the Oil Spill Advisory Council. Charles Sheldon of Seattle has been appointed to a term effective Aug. 12, 2008, ending Aug. 2, 2011. Mr. Sheldon is managing director of the Port of Seattle’s Seaport Division. He was previously involved with the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Professional program and was a Kepner-Tregoe Program Leader for Project Management & Problem Solving and Decision Making. Jeffrey Shaw of Ferndale has been appointed to a term effective Aug. 12, 2008, ending Aug. 2, 2012. Mr. Shaw is the marine superintendent of Polar Tankers, Inc. He is an active member in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. The primary purpose of the council is to maintain the state’s vigilance in, by ensuring an emphasis on, the prevention of oil spills to marine waters.


NEWS BULLETIN
Thursday, October 2, 2008

Four guilty pleas received
in freight conspiracy case

CHARLOTTE, NC — The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that four individuals have agreed to plead guilty for their involvement in a conspiracy to eliminate competition and raise prices for moving freight between the Continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. A fifth shipping executive has agreed to plead guilty to destroying evidence of the shipping conspiracy. Three of the individuals, Gabriel Serra, Kevin Gill and Gregory Glova, are former Horizon Lines managers, and have agreed to plead guilty, serve time in jail, pay criminal fines and cooperate fully with the Department's ongoing antitrust investigation. Horizon Lines intends to continue to cooperate fully with the Department of Justice as it moves forward with its investigation. The company will continue its long established commitment to providing the highest quality service to our customers.


Trade between NAFTA partners
jumps during month of July

WASHINGTON, DC — Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 15.9 percent higher in July 2008 than in July 2007, reaching $71.6 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 fell 3.4 percent in July from June. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors. The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico this July was up 68.1 percent compared to July 2003, and up 123.6 percent compared to July 1998, a period of 10 years. Imports in July 2008 were up 129.8 percent compared to July 1998, while exports were up 116.2 percent. U.S.–Canada surface transportation trade totaled $46.9 billion in July, up 19.8 percent compared to July 2007. The value of imports carried by truck was 2.6 percent higher in July 2008 than July 2007, while the value of exports carried by truck was 16.2 percent higher. U.S.–Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $24.8 billion this July, up 9.0 percent compared to July 2007. The value of imports carried by truck was 7.2 percent higher in July 2008 than July 2007 while the value of exports carried by truck was 13.8 percent higher.


Crowley Maritime christens
new articulated tug-barge

TAMPA — On October 1, Crowley Maritime Corporation christened the fifth of ten new 185,000-barrel articulated tug-barge (ATB) tank vessels that the company will take delivery of by the end of 2010. The vessels christened were the 9,280 HP-tug COURAGE and BARGE 650-5. During ceremonies held at the Tampa Port Authority Cruise Terminal on Channelside Drive, Jane Collar, wife of Steve Collar, senior vice president and general manager, technical services, christened the COURAGE, while Kim Michel Case, wife of Tracy Case, Terminals, Transport and Marine manager, Marathon Petroleum Company LLC, christened BARGE 650-5. The vessel was designed and built by Crowley's technical services group at VT Halter and is being operated by Crowley's petroleum services group with a time charter to Marathon. Crowley already has eight ATBs in operation and has announced plans to build three larger 750-series (330,000-barrel capacity) ATBs for delivery by the middle of 2013. Once all vessels are received, the fleet will stand at 17.


Port Metro Vancouver
named Olympic supplier

VANCOUVER, BC — The Vancouver, BC Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) has welcomed Port Metro Vancouver as an Official Supplier for the 2010 Winter Games. As part of the Official Supplier partnership, the port will provide facilities for VANOC’s use as part of a value-in-kind agreement. In return, the port receives sponsorship rights in the port services product category for the 2010 Winter Games, and sponsorship rights to the Canadian Olympic team at the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Games. Port Metro Vancouver will provide port properties to VANOC operations in preparation for and during the games as part of the sponsorship agreement. This includes access to select areas of the Main Press Centre which is located on the waterfront at Canada Place. Vancouver is the first oceanside Winter Games since Oslo in 1952 and this partnership marks the first time in Olympic Winter Games history that a port has been named an Official Supplier.


NOAA launches fourth
fisheries survey vessel

WASHINGTON, DC — NOAA has launched the fourth of a series of new fisheries survey vessels designed to study fish quietly without altering their behavior. Moments before the ship was launched into the Escatawpa River, BELL M. SHIMADA was christened by its sponsor, Susan E. Lautenbacher, an educator and wife of retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. The vessel is the fourth of the same class designed to meet NOAA’s Fisheries Service specific data collection requirements and the new standards for a low acoustic signature set by the International Council for Exploration of the Seas. The 208-ft. BELL M. SHIMADA and its sister ships were built for NOAA by VT Halter Marine Inc., in Moss Point, Miss., as part of the Department of Commerce and NOAA fleet replacement strategy to provide world-class, state-of-the-art platforms for U.S. scientists


NEWS BULLETIN
Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Crowley Maritime orders
more barges from Gunderson

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Crowley Maritime Corporation's Vessel Management Services subsidiary has awarded construction contracts to Gunderson Marine of Portland for - in addition to two already under construction - eight Heavy Lift Series 400-foot by 105-foot-wide deck barges. Once completed, these barges will handle project work for the offshore energy industry in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere and will expand Crowley's fleet of this type barge to as many as 13 by 2012. Gunderson is the same company that built the first three barges in the series - the MARTY J, 455-2 and 455-3 (now the JULIE B) - all of which were delivered last year.


Panama Canal Authority
calls for expansion work proposals

PANAMA CITY — Moving forward with the next phase of its Expansion Program, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) released a request for proposals (RFP) today soliciting bids for the third of four dry excavation projects. This dry excavation project will help to create expansion’s critical access channel that will link the new Pacific locks with the Canal’s existing Gaillard Cut (the narrowest stretch of the Panama Canal). Details of the RFP are available on the ACP’s Online Bidding System: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/procsales/buy.html. The scope of work will include the excavation, removal and disposal of eight million cubic meters of material. Moreover, the RFP calls for demolishing the Cocoli Bridge and clearing 190 hectares of unexploded ordnances (UXOs), remnants from former United States training facilities in the Canal Zone.


Corps set to begin
Swinomish Channel dredging

SEATTLE — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District has announced that maintenance dredging in the Swinomish Channel should begin by week’s end. American Construction Co. of Tacoma will be removing approximately 54, 000 cubic yards of material via clamshell dredging method from the Federal channel to ensure safe navigation. Federal maintenance in this area has not been done since 2003. The dredged material will be disposed in the Rosario Strait Disposal site. One of the Seattle District’s primary missions is to maintain the navigation channels and harbors in the Pacific Northwest. Maintenance and navigation dredging is done frequently in harbor areas, ports and marinas. A significant component of Washington’s economy depends on navigation and commerce, which in turn depends on dredging the state’s waterways, such as the Swinomish Channel.


Bill sets stronger rules
for California ship pilots

SAN FRANCISCO — The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association reports that in the wake of the COSCO BUSAN allision with the Bay Bridge last fall, the maritime industry and environmental advocates have worked together to draft legislation that has been signed into law by California Governor Schwarzenegger. The new law, Senate Bill 1627, authored by Senator Pat Wiggins (D- Santa Rosa) will strengthen the state’s role in preventing maritime accidents in the San Francisco Bay by providing sunshine and oversight to the licensing and regulation of ship pilots. This bill was developed through a consensus-based stakeholder process that was supported by the California Trade Coalition, Ocean Conservancy, PMSA, Save the Bay, SF Bar Pilots Association and SF Baykeeper. The new law modernizes the board’s administrative practices, creates new oversight mechanisms and scrutiny, and directs the completion of comprehensive financial and performance audits of the board.


AAPA taps Geraldine Knatz
as board chair for 2008-2009

ANCHORAGE — Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., was formally installed on Sept. 25 as the American Association of Port Authorities' (AAPA) chairman of the board for 2008-2009. Dr. Knatz accepted her new chairmanship duties at a membership meeting in Anchorage, during which the entire slate of 2008-2009 officers was inducted as part of AAPA's 97th Annual Convention. Also during the five-day convention (Sept. 21-25), AAPA presented Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange with his Port Professional Manager (PPM®) certification.