 |
|
|||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
||||
|
|
For Immediate Release PORT OF VANCOUVER IS ON TRACK TO THE FUTURE Click here to view presentations, photos and speeches from the Port Re:Port event. February 21, 2008 -- With a major rail project underway, a record year in terms of cargo movement immediately behind it, and more customers knocking on the door, the Port of Vancouver is On Track to the Future. That message was delivered clearly today at the port’s annual Port Re:Port – the “State of the Port” event, held at the Red Lion Hotel at the Quay. Port Commission President Brian Wolfe told the audience that the port is an “Agent of Change”, and an “economic engine” that is good for the community. “Just think,” Wolfe said. “In 2003, you the citizens elected the first woman ever to serve on the port commission. In 2006, Nancy Baker was president of our board. Hillary has nothing on us.” Wolfe also highlighted the port’s role in the economic development of the city, county and region. “The hand-bone is connected to the arm-bone,” he said. “It’s the haircuts, the office supplies, groceries and even the homes that come with the community growth that result from direct economic impact at the port.” Wolfe closed his presentation by stating four goals for the commission in 2008. “In 2008, you can expect the commission to support the port’s West Vancouver Freight Access project – which is the backbone to our future,” he said. Wolfe added that the commission’s goals for 2008 included assuring the cleanup of the former Alcoa smelter property – by the current owners of the site, not the public; closing the property purchases to develop a maritime terminal and industrial space for new tenants and customers. “Whether it’s on the new Terminal 5, or on the light industrial properties that are being developed at the former Rufener Farm north of Lower River Road,” Wolfe said, “we will continue to do our part to create more living-wage jobs for our community.” Both Wolfe and Paulson acknowledged the failed Industrial Development District (IDD) levy, saying the port understood the message the citizens sent: one of support, but with a desire for the port to “live within its means” in meeting its needs for expansion. “We can all identify with that,” Wolfe said. State of the Port In his State of the Port address, Paulson said the port was making a true difference in the community’s future. “We will accomplish this through a honed focus, and by actually starting work on projects that we know will deliver results,” Paulson said. “We have a plan … property … a rail project … and interested potential tenants for taking us into the future.” Speaking of the rail project, Paulson said the project would create new access into the port to bypass a chokepoint in the national rail system that has continued to cause problems not only between Vancouver and Puget Sound, as well as all the way to Chicago and even Houston. The rail project will accommodate unit trains – those that are 100-110 cars long – inside the port’s facility, and would keep the port in line with an industry standard of hauling mile-plus long trains full of products to and from great stretches of the United States. Paulson also thanked the port’s partners in making the rail project happen. “Together with the City of Vancouver, Boise Cascade Corporation, BNSF Railway, and the Columbia Waterfront LLC (a.k.a. Gramor Development), Vancouver will one day soon have a thriving urban waterfront,” Paulson said. “The West Vancouver Freight Access project plays a critical role in the development of the waterfront, removing a rail spur that currently bisects the Boise property in order to serve industrial tenants in the area.” Why All the Development? The port is frequently asked why it needs to do all of the development work it’s planning. Paulson said the answer is often answered by pointing out the staggering business and job growth at the Port of Vancouver. Using last year’s statistics as evidence, he listed the growth . Total Tonnage
Vessel Calls
Wind Turbine Imports
Import Tonnage
Wheat Exports
Copper Exports
Automobiles
All of this, combined with the port’s leases of industrial space, helped add up to total revenue of nearly $28 million, compared to $24.3 million in 2006. Port Honors Companies with Awards Each year, the Port of Vancouver takes time to recognize outstanding efforts and contributions to our community that have been made by our tenants and customers. This year, we again recognize some of the 50 industrial tenants who call the Port of Vancouver their home, and one marine customer who has certainly earned a place in our hearts. Environmental Stewardship In a bold move, Glacier Northwest recently switched all of their trucks to a B-5 Biodiesel. As the largest supplier of concrete, aggregate, and cement in Oregon and Southwest Washington, Glacier Northwest, which operates off-road plant equipment, and over 200 trucks, chose a 5 percent Biodiesel blend to help lower their emissions and to improve overall fuel economy. They also partnered with the port for a “How to switch to Biodiesel display” at the 2007 joint City and County Sustainability Conference this past June. The biodiesel program includes the front-end loaders, dozers and all other diesel-powered equipment at Glacier’s sites across the Vancouver-Portland metropolitan area. This forward thinking and community outreach are just a few examples of Glacier Northwest’s commitment to a healthy environment and to sustainable business practices. Facilities Improvement Award NuStar Energy/ST Services came to the Port of Vancouver when the company acquired GATX in 1998, and has operated its site within the Port of Vancouver as a ship terminal that receives, stores and transfers bulk chemicals and fuel. Products handled by NuStar include dry fertilizer, jet fuel, fuel oil, liquid chemicals, ethanol, gasoline blend stocks, gasoline, kerosene, liquid fertilizer and methanol. NuStar Energy serves several modes of transportation including ship vessel, barge, rail, pipeline, and truck. On December 5, 2007, NuStar Energy and Methanex gathered with local government leaders and officials to dedicate a $12 million methanol storage and distribution facility at the NuStar Terminal at the Port of Vancouver. NuStar Energy and Methanex are partnering to build the facility, which includes two 5.1 million-gallon storage tanks, one for rail loading and one for truck loading. Methanol is an important component of renewable fuels and lumber products. The new methanol storage and distribution facilities will establish a local supply of methanol for the emerging bio-diesel industry, as well as for the manufacturers of plywood and particleboard in the Pacific Northwest and California. Marine Customer of the Year Award Not too surprisingly, Vestas Americas is this year’s winner of our Marine Customer of the Year Award. In 2007, the Port of Vancouver handled 249 Vestas wind turbines, and an additional 120 Vestas towers. Since 2005 Vestas Americas’ business at the Port of Vancouver has grown from the import of 83 complete turbines, to 127 in 2006, to nearly tripling the number in 2007. We are proud to have a contract with Vestas that will provide us continued strong business in the wind energy arena into the future. Tenant of the Year Award In 1973, Northwest Packing Company acquired the Diamond Fruit Company located at the Port of Vancouver. Northwest Packing has built approximately 200,000 square feet of plant and warehouse space on the property leased from the Port of Vancouver; additionally, the company has built another approximately 200,000 square feet adjacent property owned by Northwest Packing. Northwest Packing Company employs approximately 200 executives, administrative and plant operations people year-round with an annual payroll of approximately $7 million-$8 million. Employment during the peak packing season of July through October increases to approximately 600 employees. Northwest Packing Company processes Northwest fruits and custom-blended industrial juice concentrates. They also process tomato bulk product into various base products and blends for sauces. Trade names include Oregon Trail, Pacific Breeze, and Earth Pure Organic. Northwest Packing Company has made significant investments to allow them to compete globally on the world trade and product distribution markets. Northwest Packing is working to move towards year-round operations, providing longer periods of employment for employees. Northwest Packing Company has consistently been a good steward for the Port of Vancouver and the Vancouver community, thereby earning the company the “2007 Tenant of the Year Award” from the Port of Vancouver. At a Glance Who: Port of Vancouver Commission President Brian Wolfe and Executive Director Larry Paulson * * * * * * * * The Port of Vancouver, USA, created by Clark County taxpayers in 1912, is one of the major ports on the Pacific Coast. Its competitive strengths include available land, versatile cargo handling capabilities, vast transportation networks, a dependable labor force and an exceptional level of service to its customers and community.
|
|
 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |