Vince O’Halloran Awarded 2015 Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award

Seattle Maritime business and community leaders have awarded Vince O’Halloran, Seattle Branch Agent of the Sailor’s Union of the Pacific (SUP), with the 2015 Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award.

O’Halloran received the award on June 1st at the annual Seattle Maritime Festival Luncheon aboard Holland America Lines' ms Statendam at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91. The luncheon is co-sponsored by Vigor Industrial and the Seattle Propeller Club.

David Freiboth, Executive Secretary and Treasurer of the Martin Luther King, Jr. County Labor Council, in presenting the award, noted that, in addition to his position at the SUP, O’Halloran also serves the local maritime community in many important capacities, including:

• President of Puget Sound Ports Council, Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO.
• Executive board member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. County Labor Council
• A Washington state labor council representative
• A US Coast Guard port sound area maritime security committee representative
• The labor representative on the Puget Sound harbor safety committee
• A board member of the Marine Exchange on the Alaskan Way Viaduct Seawall replacement program north portal working group

On accepting the award, O’Halloran said, “Being part of the Puget Sound Maritime community is a great honor.” He also said it was a great privilege to work with the US Coast Guard, who risk their lives to protect mariners. O’Halloran also thanked the Port of Seattle staff and commissioners and the members of the industry, both management and labor, for their efforts.

“I’m humbled and honored and quite surprised,” he said. “May we keep going and be very strong in our efforts to move onward and upward to Alaska.”

“Vince demonstrates the true spirit of this award through his tireless efforts on numerous maritime and safety-related boards and work to promote the interests of his members and maritime sector in the broader community,” said Rich Berkowitz, who is Director of Pacific Coast Operations for the Transportation Institute and spearheads the nomination process for the Seattle Propeller Club.

The SUP is a union of unlicensed sailors that work in the deck, engine, and steward's departments on U.S.-flag vessels under contract to the Union. The SUP also has collective bargaining agreements with U.S.-flag companies where licensed personnel are also represented.

The Puget Sound Maritime Press Association began bestowing the honor to individuals in 1951 to recognize long and distinguished careers and specific achievements benefiting the local maritime community. Propeller Club Seattle has presented the award annually since 1984.

Puget Sound Cargo Volumes Down

By Mark Edward Nero

Following a down month in January, container volumes through the ports of Seattle and Tacoma continued to struggle last month, dipping more than nine percent compared to the same month in 2015, according to newly-released data.

In February, the ports saw a combined total of 227,258 TEUs, compared with 242,902 TEUs in February 2014, a 6.4 percent decrease.

During the first two months of 2015, container terminals at Washington state’s two largest ports handled 457,620 TEUs, according to the data, compared to 504,266 TEUs combined during January and February of last year, a drop of 46,646 containers, or 9.3 percent.

For the first two months of the year, containerized imports fell nearly 16 percent year to date to 181,864 TEUs, while exports were down eight percent to 159,124 TEUs, the data shows.

Domestic volumes to Alaska and Hawaii grew one percent, however, to 116,623 TEUs, while grain exports grew 13 percent to 1.7 million metric tons and breakbulk volumes improved 11 percent to 42,972 metric tons.

The released data does not include information on how each port performed individually during the month.

In January, the ports saw a 13 percent dip in cargo traffic, something that they partially attribute to the prolonged contract negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association. Normal operations resumed at Seattle and Tacoma terminals Feb. 21 when the two parties reached a tentative agreement.

The ports say they’re working to quickly clear the backlog of cargo and ships that built up during the nine months of contract negotiations.

Detailed information about the ports’ 2014 and 2015 traffic volumes is available at: http://portoftacoma.com/sites/default/files/February2015SeaportAllianceFullMtybyMonth2014vs15.pdf

Seattle Port Approves Growth Program

The Port of Seattle Commission on Dec. 4 approved a 25-year program that it says should position it to help create 100,000 new jobs in the region while at the same time reducing the port’s environmental footprint.

The port’s Century Agenda program identifies four strategies for the port to pursue with its business partners and stakeholders, augmented by four regional initiatives that identify near-term opportunities for regional coalitions to collaborate.

The port’s strategies and objectives include positioning the Puget Sound region as the premier international logistics hub; advancing the region as a leading tourism destination and business gateway; using the port’s influence as an institution to promote small business growth and workforce development; and ensuring the port is the greenest and most energy efficient port in North America through implementation of a multi-faceted approach to reduce energy use, air pollutants, carbon emissions and storm water runoff.

The four regional initiatives include strengthening access to global markets and supply chains for Northwest businesses; making Washington a preferred destination for international tourists; establishment of an educational consortium to serve the needs of maritime industry for workforce development, applied research and business growth; and fostering a coordinated effort between Puget Sound ports to support Washington state’s pursuit of a healthier Puget Sound by encouraging Puget Sound ports and other regional organizations to work together to restore the vitality of Puget Sound and protect and improve the shared environment.

More details of the plan can be found at http://www.portseattle.org/About/Commission/Pages/Century-Agenda.aspx.

Coast Guard Establishes Puget Sound Safety Zone

The US Coast Guard has established a temporary 500-yard safety zone around 19 Arctic drilling and towing vessels in an effort to curtail illegal demonstrations and ensure the safety of the vessels, public and environment in the Puget Sound region.

The zone, which is effective from June 22, 2012 to Aug. 1, 2012, was created in response to a situation brewing between Shell Oil and environmental organizations. Shell has been preparing two drill ships – the Kulluk and Noble Discoverer – in Seattle to explore for oil and natural gas this year off Alaska’s north coast.

Environmental groups however, primarily Greenpeace, oppose the drilling due to the potential of an oil spill and the harm it could cause to sea life. The Coast Guard cited a number of illegal demonstrations, including the boarding of vessels off Greenland and in New Zealand, among the reasons for establishing the safety zone.

“Certain unlawful protest activity poses a danger to the life and safety of protesters, target vessels, and other legitimate waterway users. The Coast Guard must take swift action to prevent such harm,” the USCG explained in its federal register notice establishing the zone.

The Arctic drilling, support and towing vessels and assist tugs are expected to operate with limited ability to maneuver during their transit through the Puget Sound and Straits of Juan De Fuca and interference with vessels that are limited in their ability to maneuver “could result in collision, grounding, serious injury, death or pollution in the highly sensitive ecosystem of the Puget Sound,” according to the Coast Guard.

The USCG contends that the safety zone provides ample space for any vessel to operate near the Arctic drilling and support vessels during their transit without disrupting their safe navigation. Vessels wishing to operate near the Arctic drilling and support vessels while the zone is in effect are allowed to enter the outer 400 yards of the safety zone, aft of the pilot house of the vessel or the lead towing vessels, as applicable, as long as they operate at the minimum speed necessary to maintain course.

A full description of the safety zone is available at the Federal Register website .