ON JULY 23, the 616-foot cargo ship Alaska moored to the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 3.
This is the third time this year the ship has come to Port Angeles to take on an array of logs that were harvested from private lands in Western Washington and brought to Port Angeles from Alaska and British Columbia by Alcan Forest LP.
When the vessel departed for China on Saturday, she had approximately 6.2 million board feet of logs stowed in her holds and lashed to her decks.
Industrial park
I had occasion earlier last week to speak with Mike Nimmo, terminal facilities manager for the Port of Port Angeles, and Chris Hartman, director of engineering for the Port of Port Angeles, about the progress being made on the former Peninsula Plywood/KPly mill site on Marine Drive, which forevermore shall be referred to as the Marine Trades Industrial Park.
Chris and Mike explained that the port has retained the services of project consultant Reid-Middleton to work with port staff and marine trades stakeholders to conceptualize the development of the 18-acre site.
Four phases were settled on as the framework that the consultants, the port and stakeholders will use as a guideline in developing the site.
The process is currently in Phase One, which entails conducting interviews with current stakeholders and prospective tenants and soliciting their input about the type of physical plant they may need, power requirements and any other thoughts they may have.
One of the needs that was expressed by many was the need for a wash-down area for boats.
The interview process just wrapped up, and among those participating were Platypus Marine, Westport Shipyard, Arrow Launch, Armstrong Marine, Lee Shore Boats, the Makah tribe and Vigor Industrial.
The expectation is that by October, three conceptual drafts of master plan alternatives will be drawn up and presented to the port commissioners from which they can make a choice or add input, at which point the process will move into Phase 2-preliminary design and engineering studies.
Thanks and a tip of the bosun’s cap to Mike and Chris for allowing me to intrude into their busy schedules to discuss the Marine Trades Industrial Park.
Platypus parts
Platypus Marine, the full-service shipyard, yacht-repair facility and steel-boat manufacturer on Marine Drive in Port Angeles, has three odd-looking steel appurtenances sitting in front of one of its buildings.
After a bit of nosing around, I found out they are logistics escape trunks that are used when a Trident submarine is moored.
When the sub is moored, this device is placed over the access hatch and serves two purposes, one of which is to allow a safe space to allow for the passage of tools and equipment into and out of the vessel; the other is to thwart prying eyes from being able to use satellite technology from looking into the interior of a Trident submarine.
Platypus has these devices at their facility for preservation work, which means sand blasting and new paint.
For a couple of them, it also meant fixing some broken pieces and parts.
Lee Shore projects
On Thursday, I meandered out to Lee Shore Boats’ facility on the west side of Port Angeles and chatted with the company’s owner, Eric Schneider.
He told me they just delivered a 48-foot aluminum barge to the Squaxin tribe for use in their commercial shellfish operation.
Eric said they also delivered one of two landing craft to Puget Sound Energy that will be used on the Baker Lake reservoir to transport barges, equipment and personnel to the Baker River Hydroelectric Project.
Eric went on to say that among the other projects currently keeping his crew busy is the construction of an asymmetrical catamaran landing craft for Taylor Shellfish.
Harbor happenings
On Thursday, Tesoro Petroleum in Port Angeles Harbor provided bunkers to Green Italia, a 431-foot refrigerated cargo ship that is flagged in the Bahamas.
On Saturday, Tesoro is scheduled to bunker Beteigeuze, a 721-foot Liberian-flagged bulk cargo ship.
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David G. Sellars is a Port Angeles resident and former Navy boatswain’s mate who enjoys boats and strolling the area’s waterfronts and boat yards.
Items and questions involving boating, marina and industrial activities and the North Olympic Peninsula waterfronts are always welcome. News announcements about boating groups, including yacht clubs and squadrons, are welcome as well.
Email dgsellars@hotmail.com or phone him at 360-808-3202.
