BPC’s January 2014 Newsletter

  • by BPC Staff
  • on January 22, 2014
  • 0 Comments
 BPC_Newsletter_header_baybridge_with_ship
 
 
January 2014 Newsletter
 
Happy New Year!  We hope your 2014 is off to a prosperous and productive start.

We have lots of exciting news to share this month, so let’s jump right in:

 

Coming up on February 12:
BPC kicks of the 2014 Workshop Series with an event you won’t want to miss!

Ocean Planning
How Will it Affect the Maritime Industry?

Join us at the beautiful Aquarium of the Bay on Wednesday, February 12, from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, to hear from regional and national experts on:

  • Maritime Commerce in the Bay Area and California – Issues and Trends
  • What is Ocean Planning and What Does it Look Like on the West Coast?
  • Possible Implications of Ocean Planning on Maritime Commerce – Challenges and Opportunities
  • Lessons Learned from Other Ocean Planning Experiences

Ocean Planning is intended to improve understanding of how ocean resources and places are currently being used, managed and conserved, and to establish a broad vision that will guide the actions that need to be taken to address shared priorities.

Ocean Planning means collaborative foresight and long-range design for the balanced use and protection of the ocean’s vast resources. It means weighing the interests of the maritime shipping industry, the fishing industry, aquaculture, off-shore energy developers, recreational users, marine conservation, and more.

Ocean Planning has impacts on shipping lanes, shipping speeds, ship maneuvering and navigation, and ship fuel usage. While Ocean Planning is vitally important to protecting the health of our oceans and the viability of industries that depend on ocean resources, it can also involve restrictions and changes that may have implications for maritime trade and the wide economy of the Bay Area and West Coast.

Distinguished speakers and panelists will include:

John Stein, Director- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA
Michael Jones, President, The Maritime Alliance 
Cat Kuhlman, Executive Director, Ocean Protection Council
John Berge, Vice President, Pacific Merchant Shipping Association
Leslie Abramson, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
Commander Jason Tama,  Prevention Department Chief, US Coast Guard – Sector San Francisco
Eric Poncelet, Senior Director, Kearns & West
Richard Sinkoff, Director of Environmental Programs & Planning, Port of Oakland
Brian Baird, Director – Ocean and Coastal Program, The Bay Institute & Aquarium of the Bay
David Ivester, Partner, Briscoe, Ivester & Bazel

Just three weeks left – save your spot today!

Register Button- Blue


SAVE THE DATE

We are pleased to announce the theme, date and location of the 27th Annual Bay Planning Coalition Decision Makers Conference:

Maritime and Waterfront Industries of San Francisco Bay: Keys to a Thriving Economy and Healthy Environment
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Oakland Scottish Rite Center

Be sure to mark your calendar now for the premiere Bay-focused event of the year. Stay tuned to our website for developing details!

Interested in Sponsorship? 
Sponsors get great recognition and benefits!
Our 2014 Sponsorship Package can be found on this page.

 


 

Abandoned Vessels Briefing Recap

Bay Planning Coalition’s first 2014 Expert Briefing was focused on the issue of Abandoned Vessels, and was a great success.  Thank you to our attendees and speakers for making this a pleasant and informative event. 

Our Abandoned Vessels Experts:

Lt. Christopher Kimrey, US Coast Guard – Sector San Francisco

Todd Thalhamer, CalRecycle

Will Duncan, EPA

Susan Sykes, Department of Boating and Waterways

All of the Power Point presentations from our speakers are available on the Briefing webpage

Stay tuned for information about a follow-up Briefing on Abandoned Vessels enforcement! 

 


 

Featured Member:

Port of Stockton

port of stockton

80 Years of Connecting Our Community to the World

The Port of Stockton has played an important role in California’s transportation infrastructure for 80 years, providing an invaluable link between the northern California region and economies across the globe. As an ambassador to goods movement since its opening day, February 2, 1933, the Port has continued to prosper and grow to be the second busiest inland Port on the western coast of the United States, handling approximately 3 million metric tons of cargo per year. Today, the Port of Stockton has strong trade relationships with more then 55 countries exporting bulk and break-bulk products equaling nearly 1.5 million tons of American products annually. Along with exports, there are many commodities that travel from ship across the docks in Stockton including imported fertilizer, molasses, bulk cement, and steel products with a cargo value of more then $1 billion each year.

As an integral part of Central California’s economy, the Port supports more then 4,500 jobs in the San Joaquin Valley area, generating about $180 million in annual salaries and benefits. Over ninety percent of the chemical fertilizer used by the agricultural industry in the Central Valley is imported through the Port of Stockton. As one of the leading tax revenue generators in the region, the Port also contributes more then $5 million every year in taxes that help to support important services provided by San Joaquin County and the City of Stockton.

Location plays a key role in the Port’s success. Nestled within the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta approximately 75 nautical miles from the San Francisco Bay Area, the Port is conveniently located adjacent to multiple major transportation corridors including Interstate 5 connecting Mexico to Canada and the two largest freight railroads in the U.S., Union Pacific and BNSF. This direct access to international and trans-continental transportation systems has allowed the Port’s import/export business to flourish.

The Port of today sits at nearly 4,000 acres along the deepwater channel with over 7 million square feet of covered storage area. The West complex is also home to 68 tenants ranging from major distribution centers like Lowes Home Improvement and Ferguson to smaller companies that lease office space. Boasting 60 miles of railroad tracks and more then 12,000 lineal feet of dock space with new capacity beginning just this past fall for receiving large container barges, the Port of Stockton had much to celebrate in 2013, their 80th year. The Marine Highway Project known as M-580, will utilize the Delta more efficiently by allowing barges to move containerized goods to and from the Bay Area. This project will reduce truck traffic by 600 trucks per round trip, cut harmful emissions by 80%, provide congestion relief, and improve highway safety. The M-580 project is a joint effort between the Ports of Stockton and Oakland and opened on November 1, 2013.

 As a leader in the industry, the Port of Stockton takes great pride in environmental stewardship and community based education and enhancement. As such, the Port has invested considerable amounts of time and money into environmental initiatives setting an example for conducting business in a responsible and sustainable manner. The Delta Environmental Enhancement Program focuses on implementing projects related to air quality, water quality, wildlife preservation and community engagement. In 2013 the Port proudly launched several new projects as part of this program ranging from habitat restoration, to community education. This past summer the Port offered Boat tours each Saturday that were free to the public. Each tour provided a wealth of information about Port operations, maritime and a Stockton area history lesson. Following these successful and sold out tours, the Port partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Fish and Wildlife to embark on a restoration project at the Antioch Dunes which provides sanctuary for numerous endangered species. The Port’s role in this unique partnership is to provide dredged materials to the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge to aid in restoring the sand dunes back to their original state. These are just a few of the initiatives that the Port accomplished in 2013 as they continue to invest in the community and work tirelessly to enrich our quality of life.

To learn more about the Port of Stockton or its initiatives, visit www.portofstockton.com or join our community on Facebook, twitter, or pinterest.

 


 

Welcome New Member

BPC is pleased to welcome Consolidated Engineering Laboratories as a new member this month!

Consolidated Engineering LabsConsolidated Engineering Labs performs geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing, special inspections, and non-destructive testing. Click on the logo to visit their site and learn more about their services.

 


Not yet a member?  Join BPC today! 

We never stop working for you.  Learn about BPC and download our 2014 membership packet here.

And be sure to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook!

 


 

More BPC News
 
BPC was honored to be the Highlighted Partner in the Port of Oakland’s Winter Newsletter.

BPC’s 2014 Board of Directors has been finalized- thank you to our members for voting.  The 2014  Board of Directors and Executive Committee members can be viewed here.

BPC will soon begin convening meetings of its newly formed committees.  If you are a member and are interested in joining the Dredging and Beneficial Reuse, Legislative and Policy, Water, Energy and Infrastructure, or Membership Development Committees, please get in touch!