The Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners has authorized the purchase of equipment needed to make the Bellingham Shipping Terminal fully operational. Forklifts, Cargo Trailers, Yard Tractors, Reachstackers and other standard terminal equipment will soon be delivered helping the Port to better compete for ocean cargoes.
With growing congestion at Vancouver (BC) and Seattle, the Port is seeing an increase in perspective customers interested in utilizing the Bellingham Shipping Terminal. “One of the first questions we get asked is about the type of equipment available to load and unload ships” said Port Marine Terminals Business Development Manager Chris Clark. “Now we have an answer.”
The Port partnered with Local 7 of the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) to identify what equipment was needed to allow the terminal to best compete for a wide range of bulk and break-bulk cargoes. “The ILWU has been a terrific partner in helping the Port reactivate the Bellingham Shipping Terminal” said Clark. “After an extensive search, we were fortunate to find a combination of new and used equipment which was exactly what we wanted while also providing a high value to the Port.”
The Port has made significant capital investments to the Bellingham Shipping Terminal in recent years to encourage new business including modern power and stormwater systems, a new bulkhead, the clean-up of historic contamination from the Whatcom Waterway and new roofs for the terminal warehouses. With the acquisition of this cargo handling equipment the shipping terminal is ready to provide a range of flexible and efficient services to a spectrum of cargo interests.
Terminal assets include 1,250 feet of dock space, a 550 foot barge pier, 85,000 square feet of covered storage and 40 acres of industrial land.