Despite a recent lull in shipping activity, Port of Grays Harbor officials are expecting a strong year.
“We are looking for a very strong finish for our last quarter this year in all of our commodities,” Deputy Executive Director Leonard Barnes said at Tuesday’s monthly commission meeting. “The outlook is awesome ahead of us.”
A balance between productive and slower-than-usual months will put the port ahead of last year. For example, logging shipments slowed recently, but the industry had a good start.
“Even though the log business has been slow here in the last few months, the first half of the year was extremely strong, so we’re still way ahead of the curve compared to last year,” Barnes said.
A similar situation is unfolding with vehicle shipments.
“We were hit hard with the auto industry in the first half of the year with winter storms and lack of engine power, but we’re ahead of our projections and ahead of last-year volumes,” he said.
New-on-the-scene manufacturers have added to the promising projection.
“The auto market has been strong and we’re seeing some diversification of autos now — they may be small numbers with new manufacturers, but that gives us opportunity to grow those businesses,” Barnes said.
The pontoon project (for a new floating bridge on SR 520 scheduled to open to traffic in April 2016) is nearing completion. The second-to-last batch of pontoons (six in this batch) will leave the harbor on Sept. 26. The final batch (three pontoons) will leave the harbor in March or early April 2015.
Commodities continue to move through the port —113,008 metric tons of cargo was handled at Port of Grays Harbor terminals in August.
The year to date had 1,704,514 metric tons of both import and export commodities moving through the port.
Other business
•The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a record of decision recommending “alternative 3” for the Grays Harbor Navigational Improvement Project.
The project, first discussed in 1957, was conceived to increase cost efficiency of current and future use of the channel and ameliorate issues of deep draft vessels needing to underload or experiencing tidal delays due to channel depth. “Alternative 3” will deepen the channel to 38 feet. “Alternative 1” recommended no action while “alternative 2” recommended deepening the channel to 37 feet.
• All action items were approved and included amending a lease for Kenworth Northwest, the purchase of a new sweeper, authorization to seek bids for maintenance dredging, authorization to continue a contract for a Satsop Sewer system, groundwater analysis and monitoring well installation, authorization to purchase an auxiliary generator for the Satsop wastewater treatment plant, and the authorization of a special meeting on Oct. 14 at 9 a.m. for review of an economic impact study and a strategic planning workshop.
• Terry Nielsen of the Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force gave a presentation on Salmon Recovery Funding Board projects and other projects within the organization.
• David Quigg of Vision 2020 gave an update of the five-year implementation of Vision 2020 and future plans for the organization, which include reaching out to partners, celebrating partner accomplishments, completing unfinished tasks and continuing to reach out to the community.
• Sylvia Dickerson of Our Aberdeen Art Committee updated commissioners about the Our Aberdeen Murals on the Map Project.
Upcoming goals for the committee are “extremely ambitious,” Dickerson said. The committee hopes to complete three new murals in 2015.
• Two meetings were rescheduled: The regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 9 a.m., and November’s meeting conflicted with Veterans Day and was rescheduled for Friday, Nov. 7 at 9 a.m.
• In a resolution, authorization to accept a contract with Westport Outfall Construction was approved.
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