Washington Business Spring 2015 | Page 33

Photo credit: Port of Seattle image by Don Wilson business backgrounder | economy A crane operator has a birds-eye view of operations at BNSF’s Seattle International Gateway. infrastructure hurdles Giant vessels up to 19,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent units) are changing the global shipping game. “Megaships twice as big as just a few years ago require terminals with larger cranes, stronger berths, more backlands and road and rail infrastructure to handle the larger influxes of cargo,” says Wolfe. Both Seattle and Tacoma ports need to invest in infrastructure updates to welcome these megaships, but harsh competition has slowed infrastructure improvements that would enable ports to accommodate more volume, a trend Bowman hopes the Seaport Alliance will reverse. Currently, the Port of Seattle can accommodate 13-14,000 TEUs, says Bowman. “With prices so low, it’s difficult for the ports to make the investments in infrastructure that our customers need.” The Seaport Alliance would also put the ports in a stronger position to advocate for road and rail investments to benefit customers; the commissions have long pushed for investments in state routes 167 and 509 in Pierce and King counties. “We want to provide our customers with viable options to a crowded I-5,” says Bowman. “This will give us a more powerful voice in being able to say, ‘Here’s what’s at stake if we don’t invest in infrastructure.’” The ports are stronger together, says Wolfe. “The Seaport Alliance will allow us to plan and prioritize infrastructure investments to match customer needs with state-of-the-art “The marine gateways in Tacoma and Seattle support 48,000 local jobs and generate nearly $4.3 billion in economic activity.” — John Wolfe, Port of Tacoma CEO facilities. It also will give us a more powerful voice as the third-largest container gateway, as we advocate for road and rail infrastructure and reform of the federal Harbor Maintenance Tax.” “Our members understand that a more competitive Pacific Northwest gateway in the long term will provide more options for both terminal operators and ocean carriers and better serve the region’s economy,” says Moore.   Bottom line: The Seaport Alliance will enable the region to compete for cargo Port of Tacoma Cargo Stats: growth and continue as a bit.ly/1H2hstZ leader in global trade, says Wolfe. “The result is that our Port of Seattle Seaport Alliance: economy continues to enjoy bit.ly/SeaportAlliance a full range of good-paying job opportunities.” spring 2015 33