PORT ANGELES — A proposed federal program to provide financial relief to struggling maritime companies including Black Ball Ferry Line was hailed last week by Washington state’s congressional delegation, while a ferry company co-owner counseled a wait-and-see attitude.
Ryan Malane (Chris Tucker/Peninsula Daily News)
As of Friday, the program remained penniless, still needing to pass the gantlet that Congress has become when it comes to funding bills such as the stalled $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill and a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package.
U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, who represents the 6th Congressional District, and Washington’s two U.S. Senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell — all three Democrats — praised the Maritime Transportation System Emergency Relief Act in a press release last week.
The legislation is a provision in the final conference report for the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.
The ferry MV Coho sits idle at its landing in Port Angeles on Friday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
It would provide funding to maritime-dependent businesses and communities during a national emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic or natural disasters.
“Having grown up in Port Angeles, I’m conscious of how critical the Black Ball ferry is to our local economy. It’s helped Port Angeles become the gateway for tourists and supported so many local businesses,” Kilmer said in the statement.
“I’ll keep working to ensure the federal government steps up during this unprecedented crisis.”
The legislation would establish a program under the Maritime Administration to provide financial assistance to governments, ports and private vessel operators such as Black Ball — a Port of Port Angeles tenant — in national emergencies.
“Next week, Congress will look to pass an omnibus spending agreement and COVID-19 relief bill — where this program would be most likely to receive funding,” Kilmer spokesman Andrew Wright said Thursday in an email.
“Both the Port of PA and Black Ball Ferry Line are eligible to apply.”
The conference report passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, 335-78, Wright said.
“Now it goes to the Senate (where it is also expected to pass with bipartisan support),” he said in the email.
Black Ball co-owner Ryan Malane was upbeat about the legislation as he forged ahead last week to keep his company viable.
“The legislation is indeed a major step forward,” Malane said.
“It still needs to be funded, [funding] still needs to be passed, and we still need to apply for funding.
“So there are a lot of steps left, and we remain optimistic and appreciated of everything they are doing, because this may be our best chance from a federal government perspective,” he said, praising the congressional delegation.
“But they also face headwinds in providing relief for Black Ball, and I’m optimistic, but we have to have a wait-and-see approach.”
Black Ball, which operates a key transportation route between Port Angeles and Victoria, B.C., has been shut down since March 29.
It’s prevented from plying the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Canada by that country’s ban on non-essential travel and handcuffed by Canada’s and the provincial government’s 14-day quarantines on Canadian citizens returning home.
Malane and co-owner Ryan Burles were featured guests at a Clallam County Economic Development Council meeting in September. They emphasized to the virtual audience that the M.V. Coho could stay moored and unused by passengers until summer 2021, a critical juncture for the company.
All but a handful of Black Ball’s 120 employees remain laid off while the vessel blares to life every six to eight weeks when motoring a short distance from the dock to keep it seaworthy, Malane said Thursday.
“I have a tremendous amount of optimism for our ability to survive the pandemic,” he said.
“What I don’t know is when that date will be when we will be able to return to service.”
Black Ball continues to provide health insurance to its employees, Malane said, praising Clallam County commissioners for providing $500,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds to help keep the company going.
“That was a big deal, and I really appreciate what they did,” Malane said.
“That helps us a lot, but the road is still long, I guess I would say, in our recovery.”
Burles said at the EDC meeting in September that if the vessel remains moribund past July, “we’re in big trouble.”
Malane did not say last week how long Black Ball could survive the shutdown.
“We have a plan to survive this,” he said.
“We continue to work not just with the government but also our lenders to make sure that we have a plan to keep the company whole.
“As far as the border opening, that’s going to come down to the Canadian government as well as the provincial government. They have to reach a level of comfort with reopening the border.”
The Coho’s lobbyist, Tim Thompson, told EDC meeting participants that he was working with the congressional delegation to secure the NDAA legislation. Funding would provide operating dollars “essential to the long-term viability of Black Ball,” he said.
The program was discussed by port commissioners Tuesday at their regular meeting before they approved a letter thanking the delegation for the legislation “but also emphasizing the need to actually fund the program,” port Commissioner Colleen McAleer, also a Port of Port Angeles commissioner, said Friday.
“It’s a conduit for funding, but doesn’t’ actually fund anything.”
Even if funding is approved, money may more likely be routed to a maritime industry association instead of, or before, individual companies, McAleer and port Executive Director Karen Goeschen suggested at the meeting.
“The next step really is whether the members of Congress will coalesce around a specific funding package and who benefits from it,” Goschen said.
“That’s a much harder one to predict, how it will come out and who it will benefit.”
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
