PMSA’s Capt. Mike Moore and Roque De Herrera, City of Seattle, receive top Maritime Awards at annual Harley Marine Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast

Capt. Mike Moore, Vice President of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), received the annual Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award, and Roque De Herrera, City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, received the Public Official of the Year Award at the annual Harley Marine Seattle Maritime Festival Breakfast this morning.

Moore was recognized for his “outstanding professionalism and commitment to improve the maritime industry in all safety matters,” said Susan Chesney, President, Seattle Propeller Club, which presents the award during the region’s Maritime Week celebration.

“When Seattle’s rapid growth and booming economy placed unique pressures on the maritime industry, Roque worked to solve many of the most difficult questions of land-use, manufacturing, and economic diversity,” Chesney said.

Capt. Moore joins respected maritime industry professionals and public officials who have received the award since 1951, including representatives of steamship lines and agents, tug and barge operators, passenger vessel operators, ports, stevedores, shipyards, labor and government.

Moore has directed PMSA’s Pacific Northwest operations since retiring from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2002. He graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1977 and was promoted through the ranks to Captain of the Port stationed in Seattle. He earned an advanced degree in marine affairs from the University of Washington.

“This recognition is well-deserved,” said John McLaurin, president of PMSA. “Mike is an outstanding individual who is nationally recognized as an expert on maritime safety and environmental protection issues.”

The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) is an independent, not-for-profit association focused on global trade. PMSA operates offices in Oakland, Long Beach and Seattle, and represents owners and operators of marine terminals and U.S. and foreign vessels operating throughout the world.

Chesney said the Public Official of the year award recognizes the contributions and support of a local, state, or federal policymaker who has demonstrated leadership, understanding, and appreciation of the maritime industry.

“This year we present our award to a public policy professional whose work is vitally important but frequently overlooked,” Chesney said. “We present the award to underscore and recognize our honoree’s contributions, and also to underscore the value of developing and maintaining professional relationships built on mutual trust.”

For over twenty years, De Herrera has made a career with the city as a planner and a business advocate. “Whether it’s fire and safety issues, stormwater, marine infrastructure, or protecting shipyards, Roque has thrown himself into every project with honesty, passion and dedication,” said Chesney.

The Harley Marine Seattle Maritime Festival is the largest industry celebration in the region. More than 200 industry leaders attended the annual breakfast at the Downtown Waterfront Marriott Hotel on Friday, May 18. For more about the Festival, click here. To learn more about the Seattle Propeller Club, click here.

The Ballard Locks serve more individual vessels than any other locks in the nation: more than 40,000 transits in 2015, and more commercial vessels than all but 12 of the 200+ other USACE locks.

That’s just one of the key findings of the Economic Impacts of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks analysis published in June 2017. The study was funded by a unique and diverse funding group, the Lake Washington Ship Canal Users Group.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Locks’ opening day in 1917, and as the Locks reach this important milestone, there is growing concern about making the critical infrastructure upgrades needed for the Locks to continue operating reliably and safely. This report discusses the benefits of reliable Locks operation, the potential losses in the event of a closure, and describes some of the steps needed to mitigate these risks. 

To read the results of the Study, which was conducted by the McDowell Group, click here.

The Washington Maritime Federation released the Washington State Maritime Sector Economic Impact Study 2017 Update. This study updates the seminal 2013 study of the same name and provides a detailed analysis of the positive economic impact of the state’s maritime industry.

The study finds the maritime sector directly supported 69,500 jobs, nearly $4.7 billion in wages, and $17.1 billion in business revenue in 2015. The average wage for a maritime worker was $67,000 in 2015 compared to the statewide average of $56,700, a significant increase over the 2013 study. For every direct job in maritime, an additional 1.8 jobs are supported through secondary impacts. When these indirect and induced impacts are factored in, the sector provided 191,000 jobs and $37.8 billion in revenue statewide.

“This study builds upon past efforts and clearly shows the maritime industry is a cornerstone of the State’s economy, providing family wage jobs and real opportunities for the next generation of maritime workers. We’ve seen consistent growth across all subsectors of the industry since the 2013 study release and we feel confident about the continued growth of maritime in the years to come,” said Washington Maritime Federation Director Mark Gleason.

Maritime remains crucial to Washington’s economy

Jon Talton, The Seattle Times

Download the 2017 Washington State Maritime Sector Economic Impact Study here.

Download the 2017 Washington State Maritime Sector Economic Impact Study Infographic here.

“Ties that Bind” is report by the McDowell Group that documents the dynamic and diverse economic relationship that grows stronger each year between Alaska and Puget Sound.

Just as Alaska is economically dependent on Puget Sound as a service, supply, and transportation hub, Puget Sound derives billions of dollars in economic benefits from its powerful connections with Alaska. Those connections include the movement of millions of tons of freight and millions of passengers between Alaska and Puget Sound. Puget Sound provides essential support to Alaska’s seafood industry and other maritime sectors, as well as a critical market for Alaska’s crude oil. Important links in health care, education, and other sectors are all part of the fabric that connects Puget Sound and Alaska.

Heather Haugland, McDowell Group Senior Project Manager, presented the report to the Seattle Propeller Club. Below you can download the presentation which highlights key report findings.

Maritime industry worth $30 billion to state economy - Seattle Times

"As the second day of Seattle’s Pacific Marine Expo kicked off Thursday, the buzz among the attendees — fishermen and legislators alike — was a newly released economic report boasting of Washington’s $30 billion maritime industry.

"In the state, a maritime industry that traces its roots back to Hudson’s Bay Co.’s commissioning of the S.S. Beaver, the first steamship in the Pacific Northwest, generates $15.2 billion in direct revenues and is responsible for 57,700 jobs.

"When combined with indirect revenues, the numbers increased to $30 billion and more than 148,000 jobs in 2012, according to the comprehensive study commissioned by the Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County."

To read the full article, please click on the link below:

ttp://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2022309021_maritimewaeconomyxml.html



Alaska Seafood Industry has Significant Impact on Washington's Economy

More than 50 fishing industry leaders attended a breakfast at Ivar's Salmon House on August 28th to help launch the release of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's (ASMI) report on the economic value of Alaska's seafood industry.

Andy Wink of the Alaska-based research firm the McDowell Group presented data from the report, the first of its kind, showing the economic importance of the Alaska seafood industry on the rest of the country, specifically the Pacific Northwest.

The North Seattle Industrial Association, King County Maritime, Port of Seattle, Pacific Marine Expo, ASMI and Ivar's hosted the breakfast.

The complete study is here:

http://pressroom.alaskaseafood.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/AK-Seafood-Impact-Report.pdf