Study: Port of Tacoma Can Handle Ultra-Large Ships

A study commissioned at the prompting of several containership lines calling at the Washington United Terminal at the Port of Tacoma has determined that the port’s Blair Waterway is capable of handling ultra-large container ships, as long as certain conditions are followed.

“I’m pleased to confirm for the Commission that the Port of Tacoma is ready to receive ultra-large container ships,” Tacoma Strategic Operations and Risk Management Director Lou Paulsen said during the Port Commission’s Sept. 19 business meeting.

The conclusion is based on an operational assessment conducted Aug. 5 to 9 to simulate the transit of a 13,000-TEU container vessel into and out of the Blair Waterway.

The study, which was commissioned by the port and Puget Sound Pilots organization, used a model of the Blair Waterway and a model of the 13,000-TEU MV Hamburg Express, the largest ship in the Hapag-Lloyd fleet.

The test, which was conducted under several scenarios, including different load configurations and inclement weather conditions, found that a vessel the size of the MV Hamburg Express – 1,200 feet long and 157 feet wide – could safely navigate the waterway if it had a working bow thruster, was accompanied by three tugboats and was guided by two Puget Sound pilots. The wind also has to be at 20 knots or less for the vessel’s path to not be affected, according to the assessment.

“The conclusion from the assessment is that 13,000-TEU vessels can safely and reliably transit to and from the Washington United Terminals facility,” Strategic Operations and Risk Management Director Lou Paulsen said.

Earlier this year, the ZIM Djibouti became the largest container ship ever to call at the Port of Tacoma when it arrived at Washington United Terminals on July 10. The ship, which has a capacity of 10,000 TEUs, is 1,145 feet long and 150 feet wide.

Port of Tacoma Honors Summit Award Winners

The Port of Tacoma recently recognized its relationships with customers and tenants by honoring four of them with the second annual Summit Awards for their contributions to port business and the Pierce County community.

The awards were presented May 23 at the port’s annual breakfast. Award recipients included port tenant Targa Sound Terminal for Livable Community, Trident Seafoods for Environmental Stewardship and Washington United Terminals for Business Magnet.

“We are so proud of the port’s many customers and tenants who understand that business, environmental stewardship and livable communities go hand in hand,” Commission President Don Meyer said at the event.

In 2012, Washington United Terminals attracted the business of the Grand Alliance – Hapag-Lloyd, OOCL and NYK Line and associated carrier ZIM, as well as Hamburg Sud. The additional business has generated more than 1,000 direct new family-wage jobs and increased economic activity in the community, according to the port. Increases have been notable in trucking, distribution and third-party supply chain services.

The terminal also has increased rail volume by about 50,000 lifts, which helped support greater rail efficiency and intermodal yard use for all rail users in the port industrial area. To support this increased business, Washington United Terminals invested more than $20 million in new and upgraded equipment.

Additionally, the selection committee honored SAFE Boats with a special Business Investment award. When SAFE Boats received a contract to build large patrol boats for the US Navy, the company invested its own money to upgrade the Earley Business Center, a facility that was the site of naval shipbuilding during World War II.

SAFE Boats investments in the property included re-siding part of the building, installing gas service and heating for the warehouse, repairing fencing, installing new rolling doors large enough to accommodate the finished boats and installing new energy-efficient lighting.

The renovations have resulted in 60 new jobs in Tacoma according to the port, and also provided new business for other tenants in the Earley Business Center, including Citadel Marine Center, as well as local marine suppliers, service providers and skilled fabricators.

The award recipients were selected by a panel of community and business leaders led by Commission President Meyer. The panel included Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland and Debbie Fischer of the Customs Brokers & International Freight Forwarders Association of Washington State.

More information about the Summit Awards is available at www.portoftacoma.com/summits.

First Grand Alliance Ship Calls at Port of Tacoma

The first ship associated with the new Grand Alliance service at the Port of Tacoma has officially docked at Washington United Terminals.

The July 2 call by Hapag-Lloyd’s Dusseldorf Express was the first of three new calls each week at the terminal as result of the new Grand Alliance business announced in March.

Port, terminal and shipping line officials celebrated the maiden ship call with a plaque presentation before crews began unloading and reloading the ship.

The Grand Alliance is a consortium of three of the world’s largest shipping lines, Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd, Orient Overseas Container Line of Hong Kong and Japanese company NYK Line, along with associated carrier ZIM Integrated Shipping of Israel.

The associated services will connect Tacoma to Europe and Central and South America, as well as Asia.

Washington United Terminals is a 105-acre container terminal on the Blair Waterway that has four post-Panamax and two super-post-Panamax cranes capable of handling the world’s largest ships, 51-foot water depth, on-dock rail and a newly extended 2,600 foot berth.

Wharf Extension Complete at Port of Tacoma

A new, $32 million wharf extension has opened at the Washington United Terminals wharf on the Blair Waterway at the Port of Tacoma. As part of the project, 600 feet was added to the terminal’s existing 2,000-foot berth in order to support two 273-foot high container cranes with 24-container-wide reaches that were brought to the terminal in January 2009.

The cranes joined four others with an 18-container-wide reach already at the location.
Work on the extension began after Port of Tacoma commissioners approved a build contract with Manson Construction in December 2009.

Port of Tacoma CEO John Wolfe called the project a great example of how the port works with shipping lines and terminal operators to make investments that create additional capacity for future growth.

A ribbon-cutting was held Nov. 1 to mark the official opening.

Tacoma Port Kicks Off Wharf Extension Project

The Port of Tacoma has begun work on a $31 million expansion of the Washington United Terminals wharf located in the Blair Waterway.

On Friday, project contractor Manson Construction, of Seattle, began driving the first of 361 concrete pilings that will ultimately serve as the foundation for the 600-foot-long wharf extension. Manson hopes to have nearly 30 of the pilings driven in place before work is halted for the fish migration season that begins in mid-February and extends to mid-July. The project schedule calls for the extended berth to be completed by July 2011.

The extended wharf, in conjunction with two new super post-Panamax gantry cranes installed by terminal owner Hyundai Merchant marine early last year, will allow the terminal to service the largest of container vessels.