THEE XCHANGE 2022 OCTSEPT/ IN THISShippingISSUE:Education Series page 5 Port Reports page 9 Association Reports page 17
NOTE FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM
Maritime Fire & Safety Association 20
Merchants Exchange Scholarship Fund 26
Merchants Exchange Open House 5
Port of Columbia County 14
Board of Directors 3
Membership 3
Ports of Kalama and Longview 10
>> Mary Wiley - wiley@pdxmex.com
>> Bekah Brinkmeier - brinkmeier@pdxmex.com
Maritime Commerce Club, Columbia River 23
Friends of the Exchange 28
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editorial Team
The Port Report 9
Welcome to the September/October edition of The ThisExchange!issue
WELCOME TO THEE XCHANGE
Clean Rivers Cooperative 18
The Exchange is the bi-monthly newsletter of the Merchants Exchange.
Lower Columbia Region Harbor Safety Committee 17
Merchants Exchange 29 Contact Us 30
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Shipping Education Series 6
Members: If you have an article or an announcement that you would like to be included in future issues of The Exchange, please contact us: newsletter@ pdxmex.com.
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGELETTER2
Liz Wainwright, Executive Director Merchants Exchange
September 1st, we brought together these foundational groups with our first in-person Annual Open House since July 2019! We also hosted the 4th Annual Bocce Tournament, a fundraiser for the Merchants Exchange Scholarship Fund with 16 teams participating. Thank you to everyone who made it – because of you we had another memorable event. Please see page 4 and 5 of the Newsletter for Open House pictures and announcement of our Bocce Tournament winning “A-team”. It was wonderful to see everyone.
Port of Vancouver 12
Columbia River Statistics 16 Association Updates 17
4th Annual Bocce Tournament 4
we focus on Infrastructure. The infrastructure – the foundation – of the Exchange is its members, industry partners, and staff.
U.S Coast Guard, Sector Columbia River 8
All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced without prior written permission from the Merchants Exchange.
Letter from the Executive Director 2
Port of Longview 13
Our membership makes up the core of the local marine shipping community. Our members include, but are not limited to: vessel agents and operators, admiralty attorneys, customs brokers, tug and barge companies, freight forwarders, stevedores, ship repair service facilities and port authorities.
•include:Vessel Reporting
Geoff Doerfler (2024) Tidewater Barge Lines
• Vessel and Cargo Statistics
serves as a hub for local industry education as well as association management and networking activities. Our members enjoy a direct relationship with the Merchants Exchange and its services. Each member company is able to vote for Merchants Exchange board of director nominees and is eligible for board membership. All of our services and activities are member focused.
• Grain Committee Membership
• Special Reports and Services
Roger Hsieh (2024) Treasurer BNSF Railway Company
For more information about membership, visit our website at: www.pdxmex.com
Vessel and cargo information services that are currently offered
Ryan Statz (2025)
Eric Kastner (2025)
MEMBERSHIP
Chris Cummins (2024) Vice President General Steamship Corp
Cascade Marine Agencies LTD
Todd Krout (2023) President Port of Vancouver USA
• Communication Support Service
Alex Scott (2023) Secretary Anchorage Launch Co.
Columbia Grain, Inc.
Earl Dixon (2024) United Grain Corp Gary Hodson (2023) ACGI Shipping
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Exchange is a provider of vessel and cargo information. It
• Answering Service
Capt. Jeremy Nielsen (Ex Officio) Columbia River Pilots
The Merchants Exchange caters its services to the ever-changing needs of local industry. We are constantly working to develop new ways to help our members do business. If the service you need is not listed, ask us and we can work to develop it for you.
3THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
Jim Cockrell (Ex Officio) Board President, Clean Rivers Cooperative Owens Corning
Legal Counsel: Tyson Calvert, Esq. Lindsay Hart LLP
Mat Cusma (Ex Officio) Board President, Maritime Fire & SafetySchnitzerAssociationSteel
• Daily Grain Bulletin
Adrian Burkard (2025) Jones Stevedoring Company
Port of Vancouver USA
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE4 4th Annual Bocce Tournament Benefiting the Merchants Exchange Scholarship Fund CongratulationstotheWinners!
The “A” Team SamanthaandSteerman
Second Place to the “Old Guys” Todd Krout and Kent Cash
Jim Horne
Columbia River Bar Pilots
5THE EXCHANGE | ThankWWW.PDXMEX.COMyouforjoining us at our Open House and supporting the Merchants Exchange Scholarship Fund!
• Liz Wainwright, Executive Director, Merchants Exchange Cargo Categories and Modes of Transportation
June
October
SESSION 2
SESSION 1
Wednesday, October 12 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
October
April
April
Our speakers get you started with an overview of the Columbia River Basin’s history and how it grew into today’s thriving maritime industry. We start with an overview of the river infrastructure, ports & terminals, imports and exports, cargo categories, modes of transportation and vessel types. Then we move on to the business of shipping with a summary of key shipping terms and documents, required and involved parties, regulations and regulators, service providers and trade associations.
Maritime Industry Trade Associations
Columbia River Imports/Exports and the Economy
SESSION 4
• Tina Lyons, Director, Double River Forwarding Columbia River History
Shipping Education Series
Wednesday, October 5 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Shipping
10Wednesdaya.m.to12
April
June
Shipping
April
Shipping
10Wednesdaya.m.to12
• Tom Griffitts, Executive Director, Oregon Board of Maritime Pilots
October
Wednesday, October 19 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Columbia River Infrastructure & Treaty
The focus of this seminar is to provide an overview of the maritime industry and summary of the various sectors within the Columbia River Intermodal Transportation System.
Wednesday, October 26 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
AGENDA
Feb
October
SESSION 3
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE6
October
June
SHIPPING 101: Business of Shipping
April
• Heather Stebbings, Executive Director, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association
Shipping
• Michael Richards, Bulk & Breakbulk Manager, Port of Portland
Columbia River Ports and Terminals
Involved Parties and Potential Parties, TBD Regulators and Regulations
10Wednesdaya.m.to12
10Wednesdaya.m.to12
February
June
Key Shipping Terms and Documents
• Rob Rich, Vice President, Shaver Transportation
ONLINE EDUCATION SERIES 2022 101 2022 p.m. 5 12 19 26 201 2023 p.m. 1 Feb 8 Feb 15 Feb 22 202 2023 p.m. 5 12 19 26 301 2023 p.m. 7 June 14 21 28
7THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP! SHIPPING EDUCATION SERIES SES ofBusiness101Shipping www.pdxmex.com/shipping-101-2022 WEBINARONLINE OCTOBER 2022 Today!Register
Port State Control Officers in Captain of the Port Zone Columbia River, at Marine Safety Unit Portland, OR, have noticed an alarming trend of vessels loaded in violation of International and US Regulations. Specifically, break-bulk deep-draft vessels as well as retrofitted bulk carriers have been identified carrying windmills blades causing blind sectors when viewed from the navigation bridge and obscuring forward vision ahead of the bow of the ship.
The Columbia River System remains one of the most difficult waterways for vessel traffic to navigate, specifically for deep-draft vessels. The deep-draft channel in the Lower Columbia River runs from Astoria to Vancouver, spanning 105 miles from the ocean. The channel is so narrow that only one vessel may enter or exit at a time. Due to these conditions, deep-draft vessels employ the use of pilots to assist in the transit from the bar to respective berths and anchorages, and vice versa. Pilots’ extensive experience on the Columbia River System ensures the vessels transiting into and out of the channel do so safely with the importance of safety of crews, other vessels, the waterway, and cargo in mind.
WINDMILL CARGO HEIGHTS AND IMPACT OF VESSEL VISIBILITY DURING TRANSIT
APPLICABLE REGULATIONS
“The view of the sea surface must not be obscured by more than the lesser of two ship lengths or 500 meters (1640 feet) from dead ahead to 10 degrees on either side of the vessel. Within this arc of visibility any blind sector caused by cargo, cargo gear, or other permanent obstruction must not exceed 5 degrees”
33 C.F.R. § 164.15, NAVIGATION BRIDGE VISIBILITY
U.S COAST GUARD, SECTOR COLUMBIA RIVER
Area of Responsibility: 420 nautical miles of Washington and Oregon coastline, 33 ports, 465 miles of navigable rivers throughout WA, OR, and ID, including the Columbia River, Salmon & Snake Rivers in the east (Idaho).
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE8
This greatly decreases pilots’ ability to safely navigate within the channel, while keeping clear of other vessel traffic and remaining in the deepest part of the channel to ensure the safety of the vessel. The Coast Guard has a responsibility to ensure the safety of navigation is not impeded by the risk of reduced visibility, while also maintaining the flow of commerce within the Columbia River System.
In order to meet the requests of vessels and charters, Foreign Nations have issued Flag State dispensations allowing transit in a condition where the cargo taken (windmill blades) obscured pilot vision in violation of various regulations listed in the table below (Table 1). Commonly, these dispensations (which are valid only for the SOLAS International Regulations) include a Closed Circuit Television system (CCTV), with the idea that a video camera feed would be utilized to see the otherwise obscured sectors. These vessels, however, are also subject to the Navigation Safety Regulations of 33 C.F.R. § 164 when calling on ports in U.S. Waters.
USCG continued on page 15
“Guardians of the Pacific Northwest” Sector Columbia River Response Missions (search and rescue, law Portland,PortlandSafetyarewaterwaysnavigationinspection,(marinePreventionSectorWarrenton,units)andenvironmentalenforcement,protection,supportforotherarecarriedoutfromOR.ColumbiaRiverMissionssafety,vesselaidstosupport,andmanagement)managedbyMarineUnit(MSU)locatedinOR.
Dan Stahl Chief Executive Officer Port of Longview
The Columbia River Maritime Transportation System has 23 Ports over the course of 3 waterways. We are pleased to provide an outlet for local ports to share their news with our membership.
Mark ExecutiveWilsonDirectorPortofKalamaSean PortExecutiveClarkDirectorofColumbiaCounty
Curtis ExecutiveRobinholdDirectorPortofPortland
Juliana Marler Chief Executive Officer Port of Vancouver USA
THE PORT REPORT
9THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
Will ExecutiveIsomDirectorPortofAstoria
Currently, there are very few places on the lower Columbia River to turn large, fully loaded ships. These vessels need to be turned around before passing through Longview, Washington when Pacific Northwest storms force Columbia River Bar closures for unsafe conditions.
“Our region’s economy relies on the safe and efficient navigation of the Columbia River,” said Dan Stahl, Port of Longview chief executive officer. “Public investments in river infrastructure, such as the turning basins, ensure the Port of Longview can continue
The primary benefit of improvements to the turning basins at the Ports of Kalama and Longview would be a decrease in transportation delay costs.
Ports of Kalama and Longview
Leadership from the Ports of Longview and Kalama, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have agreed to fund an estimated $2.1 million study. The study will investigate what changes or improvements engineers can make to turning basins in the Columbia River to help larger, deeper-drafting vessels, safely navigate when turning.
“It’s critical for us to ensure the Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel is reliable and safe,” said Col. Michael Helton, Portland District commander. “An additional turning basin and improvements to another in the system will provide additional safety in the lower river if the bar conditions require a vessel to change its course,” he said.
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PORT
AGREEARMYMANAGERS,ENGINEERSTO$2.1MILLIONSTUDY
Corps staff are anticipating that improvements in the Longview and Kalama area would most efficiently serve the purpose with minimal environmental impacts
The Columbia River is the number one U.S. export gateway for wheat and barley, the number two U.S. export gateway for corn and soy, and the number one U.S. export gateway for West Coast mineral bulk. The Columbia River system is also a national leader for wood exports and auto imports and exports.
Photo Credit U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
Link: https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/ million-study/port-managers-army-engineers-agree-to-21-Media/News-Releases/Article/3149909/
The Corps-led study will seek to improve navigation features at Kalama and Longview; however, these would only be recommendations. Congress would then need to authorize and fund.
11THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
and do so in the most congested areas of the river.
to safely move commerce to and from international markets while driving the local economy for decades to come.”
Cargo volumes have increased 17.4%, and larger, deeper-drafting vessels are making increased usage of the river system.
“The value of our partnerships with the Corps, neighboring ports and our stakeholders on the river can’t be overstated enough,” said Patrick Harbison, Port of Kalama commission president. “This important new infrastructure will assure the Port of Kalama’s continued growth, while providing system-wide improvements to navigational safety on the Columbia River.”
PUBLIC ATREDISTRICTINGHEARINGSBEGINTHEPORTOFVANCOUVER USA
The population growth in Clark County has affected the equal distribution of residents living in each of the port’s three commissioner districts. Due to this growth, a proposed map has been drawn, adjusting the commissioner district boundaries to bring the three districts to as nearly equal population as possible. Because the Port of Vancouver does not have an election until 2023, the port has until November 2022 to complete their redistricting process.
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The port is holding three public hearings regarding the new commissioner districts, with a final vote on adopting the new map, taking place immediately after the last hearing.
• Tuesday, September 27, 2022
If you’d like more detailed information about the port’s redistricting process, please follow this link: www.portvanusa.com/commission/districts.
The Port of Vancouver USA is announcing three public hearings as part of their redistricting process. Redistricting occurs every 10 years, following the national decennial census.
All of these hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Port of Vancouver headquarters and will be broadcast on Clark Vancouver Television (CVTV). The dates of these hearings are:
• Tuesday, September 13, 2022
A vote to adopt the new district map will take place immediately following the public hearing on September 27.
To provide public comment at the public hearings, please visit https://www.portvanusa. com. Maps are also on display in the port’s lobby, located at 3103 NW Lower River Road, Vancouver, 98660.
Port of Longview
INDUSTRIAL RAIL corridor expansion
13THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
Industrial Rail Corridor
By adding extra capacity to the IRC, customers will be able to move their cargo in and out of the Port more efficiently than ever before. This expansion
The Port’s key transportation connections to the Columbia River shipping channel, mainline rail and Interstate 5 have played a vital role in attracting new customers and stimulating economic benefits for our community.
will give the Port a competitive advantage over other neighboring ports.
The Port of Longview is expanding its Industrial Rail Corridor (IRC) from two to six tracks. This additional capacity will allow trains to move simultaneously, add storage for two unit trains on the side tracks and accommodate the growing length of unit trains.
RAIL CROSSINGS IN COLUMBIA PROPOSESCOUNTYSAFETYIMPROVEMENTS
STUDYCountyEVALUATES
“The rail line is an important economic driver in our county, supporting multiple businesses that employ hundreds of people,” said Sean Clark, the port’s executive director. “We are also aware that by bisecting multiple cities, the rail can present potential challenges.”
A study recently evaluated rail crossings throughout Columbia County and identified what safety improvements can be made in both the short and long term. Several local communities and private businesses joined together to commission the Columbia County Rail Safety and Mobility Study, with the Port of Columbia County representing the public-private partnership.
“An overpass is something that we often hear as a possible solution, so we asked
Many crossings would benefit from a combination of upgrading the crossing conditions and the implementation of passive or active warning devices to restrict movement across the tracks.
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE14 Port of Columbia
The study was divided into two phases. The first phase evaluated each of the 48 crossings located within the county rail corridor and categorized them based on
safety, traffic delay, and concerns from the local communities. Phase two developed a matrix of improvement alternatives for each crossing.
The construction of a grade-separated crossing, or overpass, was analyzed within a half mile of the Gable Road crossing in St. Helens. A concept drawing summarizes the scale and potential impacts associated with an overpass project, at an estimated cost of $61 million.
• Provide additional crewmembers in order to combat fatigue and augment enhanced / doubled lookout watches, especially when transiting through areas of high traffic density
• Ensure that any equipment provided to increase visibility works as intended, accounting for sea conditions, camera quality, and screen size
• Employ risk-analysis and mitigation strategies recognizing the concerns of such condition
• Identify and contract with possible commercial or governmental vessels that may be able to serve as an escorts to clear the waterway ahead of the vessel
The quiet zone could alternatively extend throughout the city, from Havlik Drive to Crown Zellerbach Road, requiring upgrades to all the crossings located within the zone.
An action plan provides near to long-term crossing projects and outlines the next steps.
“The view of the sea surface from the conning position shall not be obscured by more than two ship lengths, or 500 m, whichever is the less, forward of the bow to 10° on either side under all conditions of draught, trim and deck cargo; No blind sector, caused by cargo, cargo gear or other obstructions outside of the wheelhouse forward of the beam which obstructs the view of the sea surface as seen from the conning position, shall exceed 10°. The total arc of blind sectors shall not exceed 20°. The clear sectors between blind sectors shall be at least 5°. However, in the view described in .1, each individual blind sector shall not exceed 5°”.
what that concept could look like and what it would cost,” said Clark. “A lot more work would need to be done before a project of this magnitude could move forward.”
• Proactively notify Port State Authorities and local Pilotage Agencies of the departure and arrival ports if bridge visibility is impacted, before the vessel sets sail
The study proposes a quiet zone at the High School Way crossing in Scappoose, due to the proximity of several schools. Required safety measures for the quiet zone to be approved include the installation of medians or channelization devices, one-way streets with gates, and four quadrant gate systems.
Clark said, “The jurisdictions will have to review the suggested improvements and decide which they want to pursue. This study provides a foundation and is designed to support grant requests to advance future crossing projects.”
15THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
The Coast Guard strongly recommends that vessel owners, operators, and other maritime stakeholders:
• Adjust loading configurations to comply with the International and US requirements for visibility from the bridge
As a result of the increase in these vessels, Marine Safety Unit Portland has developed a Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) conveying our concerns, which will also be made available to interested parties.
The final report for the Columbia County Rail Safety and Mobility Study is available at https://www.portofcolumbiacounty.org/ county-rail-safety-mobility-study.business-and-development/page/columbia-
APPLICABLE REGULATIONS continued
SOLAS V/22
• Consider the impacts to safe navigation of loading cargo in such a way that impacts visibility from the bridge
COLUMBIA RIVER STATISTICS
Vessels leaving the Columbia River travel all over the world-- from 2017 to 2021 Vessel destinations were from 34-42 different countries a year. Primary country destinations include Japan, China, Canada, and South Korea with 70% of next port traffic. VESSEL NEXT PORT OF CALL: NUMBER OF COUNTRIES PER YEAR VESSEL NEXT PORT: COUNTRY TOTALS 2017-2021 The countries listed are some but not all countries identified as the next ports of call for vessels on the Columbia river system from 2017-2021. 36 41 42 34 40 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Japan,China1287,1017 Canada, 945 South Korea, 753 Philippines, 310 Taiwan, 217 Brazil, VietnamThailand120,115,114Australia,96Mexico,86ElSalvador,82Indonesia,79Yemen,76Singapore,56Chile,54Bangladesh,52Guatemala,48Panama,42Malaysia,41
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For more information, please visit our website: www.lcrhsc.org Bekah Brinkmeier, Association Administrator: brinkmeier@pdxmex.com
ASSOCIATION UPDATES Region Safety
Committee Maritime Fire and Safety Association Maritime Commerce Club Merchants Exchange Scholarship Fund 2022CalendarMeeting d b January 12: Virtual Meeting March 9: Virtual Meeting May VirtualSeptemberVirtualJulyVirtual11:Meeting13:Meeting14:Meeting November 9: Virtual Meeting a c Board of Directors : 1330-1405 hrs General Membership: 1415-1530 hrs
17THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
Other assumptions in the Modified LPA include earthquake resilient crossings for the replacement of both the existing Interstate Bridge and North Portland Harbor Bridge, additional corridor interchange improvements, active transportation improvements, variable rate tolling, and prioritization of a comprehensive transit network.
• Connect existing transit systems by extending light rail from Portland to Vancouver.
LOWER COLUMBIA REGION HARBOR SAFETY COMMITTEE
The Insterstate Bridge Replacement (IBR) Program’s Executive Steering Group unanimously agreed that the Modified Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) should move forward into the federal environmental review process for further study. The Bi-State Legislative Committee also acknowledged the program moving into the next phase of work. Achieving regional alignment around the foundational elements of the IBR program is a significant milestone, demonstrating broad consensus that a replacement bridge needs to be built.
Key elements of a seismically resilient, multimodal solution to replace the existing Interstate Bridge identified in the Modified LPA include:
Harbor
Learn more at: https://www.interstatebridge.org/nextsteps
• Include one auxiliary lane northbound and one auxiliary lane southbound between Marine Drive and Mill Plain Boulevard to accommodate the safe movement of vehicles and freight.
The IBR program has been working side-by-side with local partners, advisory groups, and the community for the past year and a half to identify a Modified LPA that balances the priorities and desired outcomes of the region. Additional analysis completed over the next year will help us better understand the benefits and impacts of the Modified LPA. Refinements and enhancements to elements of the Modified LPA may be identified as part of this work, along with additional design details.
Clean Rivers Cooperative Lower Columbia
INTERSTATE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE
• Construct a partial interchange at Hayden Island and a full interchange at Marine Drive.
Anthony O’Reilly, Administrative Specialist: oreilly@pdxmex.com
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGECLEAN18
Cooperative is engaged in a simultaneous and separate response and needing support in deployment. This simulated exercise presented a scenario of a 50-barrel spill of diesel fuel which impacted the Willamette River at Saltmans Creek. Members were informed that product was observed downstream of Willbridge Cove. The entry point was boomed by the Responsible Party but they were unable to stop a heavy concentration of the diesel from entering the river and moving downstream. Clean Rivers Cooperative response personnel called and requested a Mutual Aid response to deploy three Geographic Response Priorities (GRP’s).
On July 21, 2022, Clean Rivers Cooperative conducted a Mutual Aid Deployment Exercise with its membership. This training exercise is part of Clean Rivers Cooperative’s Annual Membership Training Program, one of four quarterly trainings aimed at enhancing membership preparedness for response. This training event focuses on developing skills for boat crews at member facilities to respond to an incident and effectively implement response strategies.
RIVERS COOPERATIVE MEMBERSHIP CONDUCT MUTUAL AID DEPLOYMENT EXERCISE
The premise of these training scenarios is to present the members with a callout to conduct initial response during a hypothetical situation where the
Ben Robinson, Maintenance Mechanic - Marine: brobinson@pdxmex.com
Curtis Cannizzaro, General Manager: cannizzaro@pdxmex.com
For more information, please visit our website: www.cleanriverscooperative.com
19THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
Member participants in the exercise were given the instructions for each of the response strategies and took appropriate response equipment and personnel to deploy these strategies.
Trainings such as these are essential in ensuring that stakeholders in the region are aware of proper response techniques and trained to effectively deploy them in a real incident. Clean Rivers Cooperative is proud of the collaboration and capabilities of the stakeholders in the region.
Carl Boelter, Operations Manager: boelter@pdxmex.com
Members worked during the exercise with Clean Rivers Cooperative personnel and contractors to ensure successful deployment of these strategies. Drone footage captured the successful deployment of these strategies and the lessons learned by each group were shared during a Microsoft Teams meeting where the footage was reviewed collectively.
Mason Sullivan, Administrative Coordinator: sullivan@pdxmex.com
Back in 1991, the Merchants Exchange capabilities of communicating with river traffic was limited to one radio transmission site and three channels. The members and board of the MFSA recognized the potential for disastrous situations that could result from such a limited communication system in the event of a shipboard fire, oil spill or other emergency along the
The Maritime Fire & Safety Association (MFSA) maintains and operates a radio communications system that serves the commercial vessels that call on the Lower Columbia River system. The Merchants Exchange 24/7 Marine Operations Services department, or MarOps, monitors this radio system as part of their vital service to the industry. As we are just undertaking a significant upgrade of this system, we wanted to review where it got its start.
The design work provided by ADCOMM Engineering involved identifying various options for tower sites, assistance with obtaining property owner permissions and lease agreements, permits from local authorities, FCC licensing for the identified frequencies and obtaining and reviewing proposals and quotes for all the various components. It was a huge undertaking.
• Enough equipment to increase the public and commercial radio frequencies carried.
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• Tactical repeater operations to allow for geographically specific private communication capabilities.
At that time, an agreement was put in place between the MFSA and the Oregon State Police (OSP). The OSP was given access to our system in exchange for OSP performing maintenance on the system.
The system has seen a number of upgrades over the years. In 2003, a decade after it was built, the system underwent a complete review by ADCOMM. This included everything from inventorying equipment age and service issues, identifying tower site maintenance deficiencies (as OSP began to lose funding for staff to perform the work) and looking outside to industry trends and future regulatory changes.
Figure 1A 1990s era marine radio
• Expansion capacity for future growth.
Federalriver.funding
was obtained to address this and a study was done to determine necessary infrastructure to fill this gap. The system was designed to be easy to operate while providing a significant improvement in the radio capabilities for vessel traffic. The system •included: A command-and-control repeater using simulcast technology to provide private unitto-unit coverage from Astoria to Portland.
Interoperability was becoming a major buzz word. Systems needed to be engineered to ensure that various entities with different styles and types of communication equipment could reliably talk with each other. This specifically applies to public safety service providers needing to communicate with responders, including voice and data transmissions, in real time during disasters.
UPGRADESINFRASTRUCTURERADIO
microwave
In 2008, an award of Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding was made to the Merchants Exchange which supported a Radio Communications Interoperability (RCI) Project that benefited MFSA.The
banding had been finalized, specialized “crystal” filters were installed at all locations to provide precise control over what radio transmissions were allowed to be received by our system. These filters were in place by 2015.
The current update that is getting underway involves replacing the remaining analog components with digital, as well as transitioning to a completely IP based system. The outdated equipment had reached its end-of-life in most cases. Newer equipment is more compact and tends to rely on software to perform functions rather than separate pieces of hardware. The technology transition to IP also allows remote inspection, diagnostics and repair of many Thesituations.goalis
The 2003 study recommended updating many system components that had reached or were approaching their end-of-life / end-of-service dates. This included dispatch consoles, VHF base stations and repeaters as well as significant structural improvement to the radio sites.
Figure 2 Impact of narrow banding
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had also introduced rules requiring that most UHF or VHF frequencies, with the exception of marine channels, undergo “narrow banding” by the year 2013. The purpose of the mandate was to promote more efficient use of the VHF and UHF land mobile bands. By requiring that each frequency that was licensed take up less “space,” more frequencies were available for
system with telephone company T-1 circuits to ensure connectivity between sites.
21THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COMFormoreinformation, please visit our website: www.mfsa.com Holly Robinson, General Manager: robinson@pdxmex.com Mason Sullivan, Administrative Coordinator:redundantsullivan@pdxmex.com(overbuilding)analog
Although funding was not immediately available to address all of the issues identified in this report, a decision was made to invest in building a
to complete the project by late spring of 2023.
Althoughuse.
the rule didn’t directly impact our marine channels, the undesirable result was that some of the MFSA channels now had licensed frequencies immediately adjacent to frequencies we used. This could potentially cause interference.
project identified the communication gaps, the equipment, and resources available, developed an interoperability response plan, purchased needed resources, provide training and exercises, and follow up with evaluation and In2003recommendationsasanalogincludedbeginningupgradetheFurtherrecommendations.fundingthenallowedMFSAtostartamajorofthesystem,in2010.Thisprojectthetransitionfromtodigitalmicrowave,wellasmostoftheotherfromthestudy.addition,oncethenarrow
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SPOTLIGHT ON FPAAC’S UPCOMING TECHNICIANSPECIALIZEDLEVELTRAINING
MFSA has received funding by way of the 2021 Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) that will, among other projects, allow FPAAC to send 30 Technicians to a specialized livefire training in Texas. Live fire training is part of the overall Technician Training Program and is critical to an effective shipboard fire response. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) offers training programs to public safety workers around the world and will be the site of FPAAC’s 3Q Technician Level Training during the first week of November this year. This facility is the largest in the United States, and contains over 130 training stations, 22 live-fire props, full-scale buildings, tanks, and a ship that enables trainees to experience lifelike situations.
The purpose of the program is to further develop a deployable cadre of personnel from participating FPAAC agencies with the purpose of being better prepared to respond to marine incidents on the Lower Columbia and Willamette River Maritime Transportation System. This program is unique to the region and a potential model for other port areas throughout the country. The Technician program consists of approximately 40 firefighters from 13 public firefighting agencies in Oregon and Southwest Washington who are proficient in every aspect of a marine “All Risk” response. MFSA is committed to providing quarterly Technician level marine firefighter training opportunities for the agencies participating in FPAAC so that skills and knowledge stay current and are regularly exercised.
In addition to the fire planning aspect, MFSA owns and operates an area-wide radio system from four tower locations between Portland and Astoria. In the event of an incident response, this communications system will play a vital role in an effective response.
Photo: Ship deck burn prop in use at TEEX
Captain Harding started on tugs in July 1982 as a deckhand and worked up to running tugs as a Captain for Shaver in 1987. His last post was as a Port Captain; in this position he was a steady and calm hand in influencing safety and efficiency in our region’s thriving and vital towing industry. He created for Shaver, and implemented the American Waterways Operator’s (AWO) Responsible Carrier Program (RCP) Safety Management System (SMS) in 1999. As part of new US Coast Guard (USCG) Subchapter “M” requirements, he updated and successfully implemented new safety management protocols throughout their fleet. He personally mentors
and directs the training of upcoming tug captains, especially in the mastery of ship assist work. This has led to a strong working relationship at the deck level between COLRIP and Shaver’s tug captains, making ship movements more efficient and lowering risk for the maritime industry.
Click here to read the joint nomination letter from Columbia River Pilots and Columbia River Steamship Operators’ Association.
23THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM REGISTER ONLINE The Maritime Commerce Club is honored to present the 2022 Old Salt Award to: CAPTAIN FRED HARDING (retired) Shaver Transportation We hope you will join the Maritime Commerce Club in celebrating our 63rd annual Old Salt Award recipient at this year’s Harbor Splash Cruise on the Willamette Star on Thursday September 15, 2022. www.MaritimeCommerceClub.orgTHURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 Willamette Star Boarding at 5:30pm; Heavy hors d’oeuvres, cocktails & entertainment 6:00 - 8:30pm
the
Fred on Columbia River nearly 40 years.
Harding (Shaver Transportation) has been a fixture
for
Shaver’s President, Steve Shaver noted that Fred was instrumental in the design and construction of the state-of-the art tug Samantha S, “Fred’s input was invaluable, as there is no other tug like it in the world and it required immense knowledge that only Fred could provide.”
Please join us in celebrating our 2022 Old Salt! 2022 Harbor Splash and Old Salt Celebration Cruise! TICKETS $475 Lifeboat of 5 guests $105 Individual Ticket INCLUDES (HEAVY) HORS D’OEUVRES, TWO DRINK TICKETS & ENTERTAINMENT
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE24
For more information, please visit our website: www.maritimecommerceclub.org Association Manager, Margerie Vis: vis@pdxmex.com Association Account Specialist, Ashley Ros: ros@pdxmex.com
• MCC section of industry e-blasts and publications (MCC & MEX)
- Company logo placement on:
• MCC section of industry e-blasts and publications (MCC & MEX)
- Recognition as Platinum Sponsor throughout sponsorship period
- Recognition as Premier Sponsor throughout sponsorship period
Platinum $1,500
2022 - 2023
Become an MCC sponsor today!
www.MaritimeCommerceClub.com / vis@pdxmex.com
- Two (2) entries at member price for Fall Event and Winter Event
- Up to four (4) membership dues comped for the fiscal year (July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023)
Gold $1,000
- Unlimited entries at member price for all MCC events and luncheons
Silver $500
- Company logo placement on:
• All event materials save the date, invitation, emails, registration and other materials
- Recognition as Silver Sponsor throughout sponsorship period
- Ten (10) entries at member price for all MCC events and luncheons
- Company logo placement on:
• MCC section of industry e-blasts and publications (MCC & MEX)
MaritiMe CoMMerCe Club
• All event materials – save the date, invitation, emails, registration and other materials
- Company logo placement on:
• All event materials save the date, invitation, emails, registration and other materials
• All event materials save the date, invitation, emails, registration and other materials
25THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
Premier $2,000
• MCC’s website event page
• MCC’s website event page – with link to company website
- Two (2) entries at member price for Fall Event and Winter Event
• Sponsorship banner (small logo) – Displayed at all events
• Sponsorship banner (medium logo) – Displayed at all events
• Sponsorship banner (large logo) – Displayed at all events
- Recognition as Gold Sponsor throughout sponsorship period
• MCC’s website event page – with link to company website
• MCC’s website event page
• MCC section of industry e-blasts and publications (MCC & MEX)
• Sponsorship banner (extra-large logo) – Displayed at all events
SponSorShip levelS
ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Merchants2022-2023ExchangeofPortland
“Strengthening the Maritime Industry through education and engagement.”
The Merchants Exchange Scholarship Fund is pleased to roll-out our 2022-2023 Annual Sponsorship Program. Since 2003, the Scholarship has supported 66 students with over $88,000 in assistance. We would like to see this number continue to grow!
The Scholarship Fund invites industry and individuals to join us in supporting students seeking or advancing careers in the Maritime Industry by becoming Annual Sponsors.
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE26
27THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM www.pdxmex.com/scholarship ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS From October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023 All sponsorship levels include: • Proportional name & logo placement on all Scholarship Fund announcements and related event materials • Company Name, logo and website linked on the Scholarship Fund Sponsors page. • Logo on Sponsor Banner at the Merchants Exchange Annual Open House & Bocce Tournament. SPONSORSHIP TIERS PLATINUM: $750+ GOLD: $500 - $749 SILVER: $200 - $499 In Kind Contributers: by donation Association Manager, Margerie Vis: vis@pdxmex.com Association Account Specialist, Ashley Ros: ros@pdxmex.com
Columbia Riverfront Hotel 909 N. Hayden Island Drive (formerly Red Lion) www.ihg.com/holidayinn/
WWW.PDXMEX.COM | THE EXCHANGE28
Highlighting organizations and companies that support Merchants Exchange and the maritime community. Click LOGOS to link to their websites and learn more about our Friends of the Exchange.
FRIENDS OF THE EXCHANGE
Transversal International United States Customs & Border Service United WashingtonVolunteerVigorVanportGrainMarineIndustrialShipMinistryDepartment of Ecology
Columbia River Pilots
International Transport Workers Federation Interport PNW
McDonald - Pelz Commodities
Great Western Malting Haglund, Kelley LLP
Pacific Intern’l Maritime Medical Services
Columbia River Launch Service
Columbia River Bar Pilots
Jones Stevedoring Company
National Cargo Bureau
Security Service
Norton Lilly International Olympic Tug & Barge / Centerline Logistics
Lindsay Hart LLP
Kalama Export Company
McCall Companies
Port of Columbia County Port of Kalama
Degesch America
Pacific Maritime Association
THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS
Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals
Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality Overseas Merchandising (OMIC)
Port of Astoria
Ship to Shore Water Taxi Southport Agencies
Tidal Transport & Trading USA Tidewater Barge Lines Tioga ToyotaGroupTsusho America
John R Dudrey LLC
Geo. S. Bush & Company
Inchcape Shipping Services
Port of Vancouver USA Portland Lines Bureau
29THE EXCHANGE | WWW.PDXMEX.COM
Alexander AnchorageGowLaunch Service Co.
T. Parker Host Talon Marine Services Temco LLC
International Registries, Inc
Foss Maritime Company
Fujitrans USA
General Steamship Agencies
Mid Columbia Producers
Kinder Morgan Energy K-Line America
North American Shipping Agencies
Port of Longview Port of Portland
Crowley Maritime Corporation
ACGI Shipping Company
Duncan Shoemaker & Associates, LLC
Cascade Marine Agencies Ltd. Columbia Export Terminal Columbia Grain
MERCHANTS EXCHANGE
Durham & Bates Agencies
EGT ExecutiveLLC
Monarch Inspection Services
San Pedro Harbor Ship Supply Sause Bros. Ocean Towing Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt Seaport Marine Surveys
Shaver Transportation Company
Terra TesoroHydrMaritime Company
TradeWest Brokerage Company Transmarine Navigation
West Coast Marine Cleaning Wilhelmsen Ship Service
Blue Water Shipping B.R. ColumbiaAndersonRiver Steamship Operators’ Association (CRSOA)
John Cordasco cordasco@pdxmex.com
Ellen Wax wax@pdxmex.com
Jonathan JT Tuom tuom@pdxmex.com
Lisa Pomasl pomasl@pdxmex.com
Thomas Semrau semrau@pdxmex.com
Mason Sullivan sullivan@pdxmex.com
Chann Noun noun@pdxmex.com
Jonathan Nichol nichol@pdxmex.com
Carl Bertapelle bertapelle@pdxmex.com
Margerie Vis vis@pdxmex.com
Carl Boelter boelter@pdxmex.com
Ben Robinson brobinson@pdxmex.com
Curtis Cannizzaro cannizzaro@pdxmex.com
Bekah Brinkmeier brinkmeier@pdxmex.com
STAFF
Liz Wainwright wainwright@pdxmex.com
Mary Wiley wiley@pdxmex.com
Shauna Dallas dallas@pdxmex.com
Kara Estabrook estabrook@pdxmex.com
CONTACT US 24/7 Marine Operations Services Department (503) 228-4361 Portland,Suite200ContactUs@pdxmex.comSWMarketStreet190OR97201
Ashley Ros ros@pdxmex.com
Anthony O’Reilly oreilly@pdxmex.com
Shawn Kubitza kubitza@pdxmex.com
Holly Robinson robinson@pdxmex.com
