Pacific Maritime Magazine News Online for February 17, 2015

 Promise of the Arctic 2015

By Kathy A. Smith

The rush to push shipping into the Arctic due to receding ice is a little premature say those know the region.

For a start, the majority of ice that is melting is along the Northern Sea Route or Northeast Passage along the north coast of Russia, allowing shipping to take place primarily during the summer months. Conversely, on the northwest side of the polar cap, there is only a two-week period – not consistently the same annually – when the Northwest Passage is open to commercial marine traffic.

While a DNV report on the issue of containerships transiting the Northwest Passage (NWP) suggests traffic could begin between 2030 and 2050, currently, the sheer logistics carry too much economic uncertainty with the unpredictability of ice and snow, which could easily wreak havoc on schedules. .. MORE

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Ports Reopen, Labor Secretary Enters Contract Talks

Shipping Company Admits to Dumping Oily Bilge

Foss, Port of Seattle Sign Terminal Lease

Victoria Shipyards Receives Excellence Award

Have a news tip to share? Send an email to Mark Edward Nero

By Mark Edward Nero

Ports up and down the US West Coast resumed vessel operations the morning of Feb. 17, bringing to an end a four-day lockout instituted by the Pacific Maritime Association as part of an ongoing dispute with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. (Read full article)

By Mark Edward Nero

A shipping company and one of its engineers have agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges involving wastewater dumping in US waters off Alaska, federal prosecutors said Feb. 12. 
(Read full article)

By Mark Edward Nero

The Port of Seattle last week signed a two-year lease with Foss Maritime that gives Foss the right to short-term moorage and vessel operations along 50 acres at the port’s 156-acre Terminal 5, which is currently undergoing renovation.(Read full article)

By Mark Edward Nero

The Canadian branch of advanced technology company Lockheed Martin has given its first Supplier Excellence Award to Victoria Shipyards for its work and contribution to the Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax Class Modernization-Combat Systems Integration project.(Read full article)