The Port is conducting a search for its next Executive Director with support from a national recruiting firm specializing in placing diverse candidates in government leadership. The job description will soon be posted on the Port’s website, and the full selection process is expected to be finished early next year. During the transition, Interim Executive Director and Director of Maritime Tiffany DeSimone, is providing steady leadership while Port staff work on over 200 capital projects to promote sustainable economic development, optimize transportation gateways and manage publicly owned land to the benefit of Whatcom County.
The Port continues to make steady progress on its largest capital project--the modernization of the Bellingham Shipping Terminal which is one of only 11 deep-water cargo terminals in the nation’s most trade-dependent state. The central dock has been strengthened and now includes state-of-the-art stormwater infrastructure to support an active shipping terminal. This fall, a floating crane and barge will arrive to continue removing historic contamination from the Whatcom Waterway and restore the navigation depth to 35 feet enabling a wider variety of vessels.
Operations at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal are reactivating. Sierra Pacific has started shipping local wood chips and Granite Construction will soon begin moving crushed, washed rock across the docks. By 2026, the terminal is projected to generate $1 million in wages and 1,200 shifts for dockworkers, with growth expected to reach $3.4 million in wages and 3,600 shifts by 2029.
Bellingham International Airport (BLI) is becoming an attractive option for travelers seeking to avoid Interstate-5 shutdowns, Seattle traffic and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) construction. Alaska Airlines added another daily flight from BLI to Seattle, helping drive a 36% increase in second-quarter passenger volumes compared to last year. Port staff regularly share data with all major airlines highlighting the strong demand for flights from Bellingham, where 2.8 million people live within 60 miles of the airport. While airlines prefer to centralize service in larger hubs, SEA is nearing capacity with little room for expansion making BLI an attractive option for helping meet Puget Sound’s long-term travel needs. BLI currently offers non-stop flights to seven destinations.
Whatcom County’s maritime industry is a powerful economic driver, supporting 6,400 jobs, $416 million in labor income and $1.6 billion in business revenues. The Port plays a central role in the marine trades economy by providing waterfront land, infrastructure and resources to sustain and grow this sector. At Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park (FMIP), the Port is investing heavily to modernize outdated stormwater and sewer systems, protect the property from sea level rise, and prepare a new marine industrial business pad for development. FMIP currently hosts five marine trades businesses employing about 100 people, and demand for marine industrial land in Whatcom County remains strong.
The Port’s economic development team recently completed an industrial lands study to evaluate the long-term manufacturing needs in Whatcom County. The report found that, while there is enough industrially zoned land, many parcels are limited by barriers such as inadequate utility access, small lot sizes, poor transportation connections, and other site constraints. To address these challenges, the Port will partner with Whatcom County, local cities and regional stakeholders to make strategic infrastructure investments, zoning updates and site-readiness improvements to strengthen the manufacturing sector.
The Port has put together the funding and partnerships necessary to purchase the 59-acre Boxx Berry farm in Ferndale and transition this property into an Agricultural Research Center after the long-time farm owners retire, ensuring the property continues to serve local agriculture. Modeled after the successful Breadlab in Skagit County, this new facility will create business opportunities for Whatcom County farmers, advance research to protect berries and local crops from climate change and provide educational programs for the community. Whatcom Food and Farming Station will operate the Agricultural Research Center with lease payments covering the cost of the loan so there is financial impact to the Port.
Redeveloping underutilized waterfront properties in Bellingham and Blaine Harbor are high priorities. In Blaine, the Port is partnering with the Washington State Department of Ecology over the next two years to clean-up historic contamination and make stormwater improvements to establish a port operated, do-it-yourself boatyard. This project will give local boaters more options and create new marine trades jobs.
In Bellingham, the Port is working closely with the City of Bellingham, the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and local developers to ensure the redeveloping waterfront reflects the community’s vision and supports downtown businesses. Public access to the water remains a high priority. The Port is partnering with the City of Bellingham and Northwest Skate Collective to create a new skate park under the Roeder Avenue Bridge, providing much-needed covered recreational space in the heart of downtown.
Family-friendly amenities continue to thrive. The Port partnered with Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition to add Bigfoot Bike Park for younger riders, becoming a ‘must visit’ destination for families. Summer events like the Noisy Waters Mural Festival, Northwest-Tune Up, and Shoestring Circus are drawing thousands of visitors to the downtown waterfront in support of hotels, restaurants and shops. New restrooms were added to the Portal Container Village earlier this year, parking lots are being expanded, and new EV charging stations will be available next year.
The Marine Life Center and Port parks and open spaces are some of the most popular places in Whatcom County. To make them even easier to enjoy, the Port created a new webpage and launched the Disco Duck campaign to raise awareness.
The Disco Duck, created by a local artist from recycled expresso machines and donated to the Port by the Whatcom Community Foundation, moves to a different Port property each quarter. You can get clues at Mallard’s Ice Cream, the Marine Life Center, and other locations around town. Find the Duck, tag us on social media, and you could win a prize!
With so much happening at your Port, the best way to stay informed is by following us on social media or watching Commission meetings on YouTube. Our three elected Commissioners always welcome hearing from the public. The Commission approved a Resolution to place a ballot proposition this November asking Whatcom County voters to decide whether to expand the number of Commissioners from three to five.