On a clear and cold November night, a team of Port of Tacoma employees volunteered to place cages of mussels in Commencement Bay precisely at zero tide, which arrived around 10. The mussels were deployed to check for contaminants. But at two of the three Port sites, volunteers ran into challenges...

Port of Tacoma Commissioners on November 21 approved entering into a design agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deepen the Blair Waterway to accommodate larger ships.

Don Kelley, who previously worked for 21 years at the Port of Tacoma, has returned as Director of Accounting and Port Auditor. He will manage the overall accounting functions for the Port and The Northwest Seaport Alliance. 

The Port of Tacoma Commission on November 2 held a study session to review the 2024 budget. A public hearing and adoption of the budget, including the property tax levy, is scheduled for November 21. Commissioners also heard briefings from the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board and from Port environmental staff regarding long term monitoring at the Lower Wapato Creek Habitat site.

Planning for a future waterfront landmark took a step forward with the Port of Tacoma Commission’s recent approval of an amendment to an interlocal agreement between the Port and Tacoma Public Schools for work associated with developing a new Maritime Center campus.

The Port of Tacoma Commission on October 24 approved a project authorization of $2.97 million for work associated with the Port Maritime Center to bring the project to 30 percent design by March 2024. The proposed location of the Port Maritime Center campus project is on Port-owned property along the Foss Waterway and will include Tacoma Public Schools’ new Maritime|253 skills center.

Port of Tacoma commissioners on September 19 unanimously approved a proclamation for National Hispanic Heritage Month, which calls on the people of Pierce County to recognize the achievements of the Hispanic/Latino community. 

Colin Millan has joined the Port of Tacoma as Director of Security where he will be responsible for the leadership and overall direction of the Port’s security department. Millan’s portfolio includes security operations across all Port assets and facilities, incident management, security project management, as well as Port Patrol and Terminal Security Officers for SSA Terminal Tacoma.

During the September 6 Managing Members meeting of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, commissioners from both the Port of Tacoma and the Port of Seattle authorized funding for work associated with deepening the berths at Husky Terminal and Washington United Terminals on the Blair Waterway. Port of Tacoma commissioners then a voted to authorize funding for work associated with the East Commencement Habitat Opportunity Project, which will be created with material dredged from the waterway deepening project.

Upon completion of a request for proposal (RFP) evaluation process, BNBuilders/TCF Architecture has been selected as the most qualified firm to develop, design and construct the Maritime | 253 Skills Center and Port Maritime Center project. The proposed site for the project is on a piece of Port-owned property along the east side of the Thea Foss Waterway, where the Wheeler-Osgood Company mill once operated.