Seattle, Tacoma Ports Collaborate on Promotion, Transportation Priorities

Environment, security also discussed as two ports cooperate on joint issues

The Port Commissions for Seattle and Tacoma met jointly today to discuss ways the two ports can cooperate to better serve the region’s economy. Joint regional promotion and the need to invest in transportation infrastructure topped the agenda, as the two ports identified projects crucial to creating jobs and expanding trade throughout Washington state.

Port commissioners pointed to the recent economic downturn and to burgeoning competition in Canada and elsewhere as further evidence that the two ports must cooperate to benefit the state’s economy.

“More than ever, we need to focus our efforts on creating jobs and building the transportation infrastructure that keeps Washington at the forefront of global trade,” said Seattle Commission President John Creighton. “Those investments are essential to economic growth as well as to crucial environmental efforts to improve air quality and protect Puget Sound.”

“Our region depends on the economic stability and family-wage jobs our two ports provide during both good and bad times,” said Tacoma Commission President Dick Marzano. “I agree with Commissioner Creighton that we need to plan now more than ever to stay competitive well into the future.”

The two ports first met jointly in April, when commissioners instructed staff to work together on regional promotion, transportation, environmental issues and port security. Since then, working groups comprised of commissioners and staff members have made significant progress, participating in a joint mission to China to promote the Pacific Northwest as a key regional gateway for Pan-Asian trade and continuing work on the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, a collaborative effort to reduce maritime-related air emissions throughout the Puget Sound and Georgia air basins.

The Strategy, an effort that includes Port Metro Vancouver, B.C., recently received top honors from the American Association of Port Authorities, which honored the three ports for their work on comprehensive environmental management.

The two commissions plan another joint meeting in early 2009. Commission and staff work groups on joint promotion, transportation infrastructure, environmental efforts and port security will continue to meet regularly in the interim.

About the Port of Seattle

The Port of Seattle operates several major facilities in King County, supporting nearly 200,000 jobs in the Puget Sound region and generate more than $12 billion in business revenue and $626 million in state and local taxes annually. Port facilities include the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which served over 31 million passengers in 2007, and a seaport that supports a thriving cruise industry, commercial and recreational marinas, and three container terminals, which handled 1.97 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units) in 2007.

About the Port of Tacoma

The Port of Tacoma is an economic engine for south Puget Sound, with more than 43,000 family-wage jobs in Pierce County and 113,000 jobs across Washington state connected to Port activities. A major gateway to Asia and Alaska, the Port of Tacoma is among the largest container ports in North America, handling more than $36 billion in annual trade and about 1.9 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units). The Port is also a major center for bulk, breakbulk and project/heavy-lift cargoes, as well as automobiles and trucks.