Waterfront Wednesday News

August 14, 2024

D.E.R.A Project Moves Ahead After Delays

Fishing vessels in Alaska. The D.E.R.A project the Port and WWC partner to help vessels upgrade their diesel engines. Photo: WWC

The Port of Bellingham voted in their Commissioner Meeting on Tuesday to approve funding for the Port's collaborative project with the Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition to bring Diesel Emissions Reduction Act money to the local fishing community. The funding provides reimbursement for projects to replace older diesel engines with newer, cleaner, more efficient models.

The Coalition is excited to offer the program to local fishing families looking to upgrade and make their vessels more environmentally safe. You can read more about the project via our page for D.E.R.A on our website:

All-American Marine Secures Contract

for Cutting-Edge Research Vessel

Cal Poly Humboldt Design. Photo Courtesy All-American Marine.

All American Marine (AAM), together with the California Polytechnical Institute at Humboldt (Cal Poly), is proud to announce the contract to build an innovative research vessel for their marine sciences program.

The vessel is a 78’ x 26.7’ semi-displacement aluminum catamaran that was developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand. It will incorporate the proven design elements of several successful, recently delivered vessels, R/V Shackleford for Geodynamics, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s R/V Imua. Both of which have proven highly successful in their near-coastal research environments.

Read more on the new build here:

Rocky Mountain Institute Publishes 

Zero Emissions Fuels Roadmap

Port of Seattle. Photo included from the recent Advancing Zero Emissions Fuels in Washington Shipping Sector roadmap by RMI.

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) recently published a roadmap to 2050 for Washington's Shipping Sector to advance Zero-Emission Fuels use.

The study was in collaboration with CHARGE, a hydrogen consortium, and WA Maritime Blue, and details needs, concerns, policies and procedures that will help the state's maritime economy transition away from traditional fossil-fuels.

You can read the study on our website, along with other working waterfront data and studies, at the link below:

State Parks Reinstates Access to Larrabee for Bioluminescence Tours

Dragonfly Kayaks along the shore. After-hours access for unique bioluminescent tours has been reinstated for this season.  Photo: Dragonfly Kayaks

After pressure from several businesses and organizations promoting equity of access to the natural phenomenon of 'bioluminescence', where plankton in the ocean will emit light and create other-worldly scenes of glowing water, the State Parks officials have reversed their decision to shut down access for permitted and guided professional excursions from Larrabee State Park boat launch after-hours. The tours are now allowed to run for the remainder of the season.

Advocacy groups continue to meet and discuss with Park officials regarding how best to move forward with their concerns around un-permitted access that occurs at the parks without closing down access to permitted businesses. Removing access could eliminate one of the few spots in Whatcom County, and Puget Sound, where bioluminescence is commonly visible with low ambient light surrounding the area. A combination of no commercial vessel traffic that would endanger personal watercraft in low light situations and infrastructure that allows people of all abilities to launch personal watercraft (no hiking over rough terrain with a kayak on your back), makes this location unique in Whatcom County creating an equity of access for a wider range of ability and skill levels to see this wonderful naturally-occurring event.

Senator King Proposes Aid for Working Waterfronts

High tide events and storm surge can damage pier and dock infrastructure. Photo: Working Waterfront Coalition

Main Public Radio, Aug 1 - Working waterfront businesses could get a 30% tax credit to protect properties from storm damage under a bill proposed by U.S. Sen. Angus King from Maine.

The incentive includes a million dollar investment cap on improvements that support commercial fishing, boat yards and other marine businesses. Businesses would be expected to make investments that help prevent major damage from natural disasters.

Read more about the story via Maine Public Radio website:

Blue Drinks Q3 Networking Meet Up

Join the Community Boating Center and Whatcom Working Waterfront this September 18th for Blue Drinks Q3 Meetup. Blue Drinks is a free, open-networking event for anyone interested in the waterfront. This quarter, we're featuring Jackie Dexter of Holdfast Mariculture as she talks about sea grass, seaweed, and cultivating life in our waters for habitat restoration and for harvest.

Registration not required, this event is free and open to the public.

Blue Drinks Q3 Meet Up
September 18th, 5:30-7:00pm
Community Boating Center
555 Harris Avenue, Bellingham

BlueTech/CleanTech Cohort Kick-Off Event

The Northwest Innovation Center is hosting its annual Innovation Cohort Kickoff next week. Meet the team from WA Maritime Blue, the CleanTech Alliance, and learn about the innovators who are working to create the next generation of maritime economy and industry.

Register via the link below:

Port of Tacoma Swaps to Renewable Diesel

The Port of Tacoma is now using a renewable diesel fuel, R99, that can be dropped in with any diesel without equipment retrofits. Similar to biodiesel in origin, the manufacturing process allows it to burn cleaner, and be mixed in any percentage to existing fuel tanks. This initiative is one of the links in bridging our maritime economy leap into alternative fuels.  You may read more about the effort via Port of Tacoma's website below:

Affordable Benefits for Maritime Companies - Statewide

The Working Waterfront Health Trust provides affordable pooled insurance health plans for qualifying marine-trades businesses - state-wide. The Trust launched two years ago, has grown steadily each year and provides a range of health plans to consider through Premera Blue Cross.

If you'd like to know more about the Health Trust, contact your insurance broker today and ask them about the Working Waterfront Health Trust. Fall is the peak time to meet with your broker to discuss options for your employees for 2025.

Are You Hiring? Use the Coalition Job Board

The Coalition's Job Board is free, contactless, and easy! We designed this board for our commercial fishermen, marine trades industries and other waterfront jobs in mind, to act as a digital bulletin board for crew positions, contract hires, or regular employee spots that you want to have a digital space for.

If you have any questions on using it, reach out to our staff, info@whatcomworkingwaterfront.org. To submit a job posting, use the link below:

Upcoming Waterfront & Coalition Events