According to a recent analysis by the McKinley Research Group, Whatcom County’s Maritime Industry was a significant generator of economic activity for the entire county in 2023. The Maritime Industry supports 6,400 jobs, $416 million in labor income, and $1.6 billion in business revenues.
“This new study shows just how important the working waterfront is to our regional economy,” said Port Executive Director Rob Fix. “The Port’s marine industrial land and buildings are full and we are modernizing waterfront infrastructure, cleaning-up historic contamination and making new property available so our maritime industries can continue to grow and innovate.”
Whatcom County’s maritime industry provides over 3,600 direct jobs and is expanding to meet a wide range of opportunities in both traditional and emerging markets including green marine technology, sustainable food supply, and international shipping. The Port partnered with McKinley Research and the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County to illustrate the impacts of marine trades industries and the maritime economy.
Through strategic initiatives, including the preservation and development of marine industrial land, discounted rates for marine trades and commercial fishermen, the modernization of waterfront infrastructure, environmental cleanup efforts, business recruitment, and access to grant funding, the Port is creating opportunities to support the region’s maritime economy.
Supporting Marine Industrial Growth
The Port offers prime waterfront land for businesses and industries essential to the marine sector. Maritime industries need strategic locations on or near the water to operate and expand, but waterfront property is under increasing pressure for redevelopment into commercial, residential and recreational spaces. The Port plays a key role in preserving marine industrial land to strengthen the regional economy while creating jobs and attracting new working waterfront businesses to the area.
The Port recently announced a landmark 50-year lease extension with the community’s largest waterfront employer, Bellingham Cold Storage (BCS). BCS has been a valued Port tenant since 1946 and supports approximately 1,200 year-round jobs. The lease agreement includes a commitment by BCS to invest at least $30 million over the next 20 years to modernize port infrastructure and create jobs.
Investing in Waterfront Infrastructure
Waterfront infrastructure like docks, piers, boat ramps, terminals and marinas allow maritime businesses to build, launch, repair and maintain vessels. The Port modernizes and maintains infrastructure throughout Bellingham Bay and Blaine Harbor in support of waterfront industries which require direct and efficient access to the water.
The Port’s largest ongoing infrastructure investment is a $30 Million project to modernize the Bellingham Shipping Terminal to meet the needs of the modern shipping industry. This project will fortify the main dock to allow heavy cargo and equipment, restore navigation depth to allow a wider range of cargo, install a state-of-the-art stormwater management system to protect Puget Sound, provide electricity for next-generation vessels and clean air, and create family-wage jobs throughout the region.
Affordable Rates for Marine Trades and Commercial Fishermen
The Port has a Water Reliant Commercial Marine Rental Policy to protect commercial marine businesses by offering discounted rates and setting land values based on appraisals for water-reliant marine uses rather than commercial uses. Affordable rates for marine trades and commercial fishermen have kept the Port’s marine industrial properties full and allowed the local maritime sector to thrive. Whatcom County’s working waterfront recently built the Hannah for Northline Seafoods, a $62.5 Million, 400-foot freezer barge which is revolutionizing the seafood processing industry as an all-in-one solution for buying, freezing, shipping, storing, and distributing wild Alaskan salmon.
Environmental Cleanup and Stewardship
The Port is leading important cleanup projects in Bellingham Bay and Blaine Harbor to remove the burden of historic contamination, protect marine habitats and ensure maritime businesses can operate responsibly and efficiently for generations to come. Construction is underway on a $20 million project in the I&J Waterway on Bellingham’s waterfront to remove 18,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment and replace a dock and bulkhead in support of continued working waterfront uses. The Port secured state grants to pay for half the cleanup project with each grant dollar estimated to generate $32 in business revenue.
Business Recruitment
The Port conducts strategic economic development initiatives to attract maritime businesses like boat manufacturers, shipping companies, tourism operators and commercial fishermen. The Port recently recruited Corvus Energy, a leading supplier of marine battery energy storage systems, to open its first U.S. manufacturing plant in a Port-owned building in Fairhaven.
Access to Grant Funding
To strengthen the maritime sector and enhance opportunities for growth and innovation, the Port pursues and provides access to grant funding for infrastructure projects and environmental initiatives. For example, the Port and Whatcom County worked together to secure grant funding from Whatcom County’s Economic Development Investment Program to help build a new 58,000 square foot manufacturing facility for local boat builder All American Marine after the company had outgrew their facility in Fairhaven and was considering leaving the state to reduce costs. All American Marine specializes in custom aluminum vessels, employs over 75 people and recently built the world’s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell passenger ferry. As another example, the Port secured a $250,000 strategic reserve fund grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to support the recruitment of Corvus Energy to Bellingham.