Weekly Roundup: Succession, Sanity, and Staying the Course

Vessel Traffic: Holding Steady, Trending Up

We recorded a 22% increase in overall commercial vessel arrivals this week, driven by bulk and container ships. That’s a healthy sign of activity, even as other indicators flash yellow.

Total Arrivals: 43 → 55
Notable gains:

• Bulk: +64%

• Containers: +29%

• General cargo: +200%

Berth Arrivals: 47 → 59 (up 20%)

• Seattle up 24%, March Point up 43%, Aberdeen and Anacortes back online

• Port Angeles: 0 arrivals

Operations Snapshot

• We continue to experience radio outages at Ellis Tower and are evaluating rerouting options.

• Met with the incoming Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound Prevention Department Head to strengthen future collaboration.

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Legislative Update: No Major Shifts This Week

Most priority bills have passed and are now awaiting effective dates. A few remain in review, and we’re watching closely for signs of a special session to finalize the state budget.

Bills Passed & Awaiting Implementation:

• HB 1167 – Maritime education in career & technical programs (Effective 7/27)

• SB 5281 – Nonresident vessel permits (Effective 9/1)

• SB 5191 – Paid family leave for dockworkers

• SB 5161 – 2025–27 transportation appropriations

• HB 1511 – Ferry captain authority clarified (Effective 7/27)

• HB 1414 – Student career access (Effective 7/27)

• HB 1264 – Ferry system salaries

• SB 5794 – Tax preference repeal (Marine Exchange opposes)

Bills We’re Monitoring:

• SB 5160 / HB 1226 – Supplemental transportation budget

• SB 5550 / HB 1324 – CCA-funded transportation investment

Under Review:

• SB 5652 – Environmental equity in port communities

• SB 5519 / HB 1652 – Low sulfur marine fuel standards

• HB 1684, HB 1513, HB 1678 – Coastal, conservation, and infrastructure bills

Didn’t Advance:

• SB 5248 – Bridge collision prevention

• HB 1689 – Emissions at berth

• HB 1288 – Outdoor rec & climate adaptation

Spotlight: Where Are All the Mariners?

We’ve got a succession crisis in maritime—and it’s not hypothetical. Pilots are aging out. Engineers are retiring. Tug captains and dispatchers are slowly slipping out of the workforce. And there’s no wave of new talent waiting in the wings.

At a recent Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary meeting, someone mentioned they couldn’t find a line handler for their research vessel. That’s not a blip—that’s a system strain.

If we don’t bring in the next generation, there will be:

• No ships

• No terminals

• No ferries

• No working waterfront

This industry gave me everything. A mission. A living. A life. And now, it’s our job to ensure someone else gets that same shot.

Help Us Build the Next Generation

We launched the John Veentjer Maritime Scholarship to break down barriers and open doors. These are unrestricted scholarships—fast, flexible, and designed to put money on target with as few speed bumps as possible.

We’re hosting a fundraiser cruise on June 12 aboard the Virginia V. Can’t attend? No problem. Just donate. It matters.

👉 DONATE OR JOIN US

Upcoming Events – Week of May 19

• Monday – PNWER Cross-Border Supply Chain Workshop (Bellingham)

• Tuesday – Puget Sound Marine Firefighting Commission (online)

• Wednesday – ECHO Vessel Operators Committee

• Thursday – Marine Insurance Association of Seattle: Day of Education

Final Word: Tariff Who? Tariff What?

The Trump Administration called for a 90-day tariff pause on Chinese imports—and the markets barely blinked. That tells you everything.

This isn’t trade strategy. It’s policy whiplash dressed up in populist cosplay. And once again, the people getting punished are port communities like ours—workers, exporters, logistics firms, and mariners.

If it feels like nobody wants to talk about this, but everyone is talking about it—you’re not imagining things.

The tide is shifting. Let’s keep our heads above water—and bring the next crew aboard while we still can.