Shell @ Terminal 5: Polar Pioneer expected here Thursday; city ‘could issue a notice of violation’

(May 4th image courtesy Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce webcam)
4:59 PM: While the oil-drilling platform Polar Pioneer is no longer in view on the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce’s webcam, it’s still in the PA harbor – but apparently not for long. The Peninsula Daily News reports that the Polar Pioneer will be towed to West Seattle’s Terminal 5 tomorrow. That, despite the city Department of Planning and Development declaring that mooring Shell’s rigs at T-5 is not covered in the Port’s existing permits, and despite the Port Commission’s vote yesterday afternoon (WSB coverage here) to formally inform T-5 interim tenant Foss of that. Foss, meantime, as reported here last night, has filed its appeal of the DPD “interpretation”:

The Port Commission, as also noted in our Tuesday report, voted to appeal the ruling of the DPD, whose director Diane Sugimura answered questions at yesterday’s meeting. Meantime, Foss also expects Shell’s drillship Noble Discoverer, now starting its second day docked in Everett, to move on to T-5. And Arctic-drilling opponents are continuing to plan for an on-the-water protest Saturday plus one on land Monday.

6:11 PM UPDATE: Wondering what the city might do if the Shell rigs really do show up despite the DPD interpretation? We sent that question to Mayor Ed Murray‘s office. The reply:

The mayor expects the Port to have the proper permits in place before an off-shore oil drilling rig comes to Terminal 5. The Port Commission is also on record saying a rig should not come to Elliott Bay before the proper permits are in place.

Should Shell bring the rigs to Terminal 5 before the appropriate permits are in place, Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development will evaluate the situation and could issue a notice of violation. There are monetary penalties associated with operating without the necessary permits. … Foss and the Port have said they intend to file an appeal. Even after an appeal is filed, the City is not prevented from moving ahead with enforcement actions.

1:42 AM THURSDAY: We’ve been checking MarineTraffic.com all night and it looks like Polar Pioneer and its accompanying tugs are finally headed out of Port Angeles, as of minutes ago.

23 Replies to "Shell @ Terminal 5: Polar Pioneer expected here Thursday; city 'could issue a notice of violation'"

  • Ray May 13, 2015 (5:11 pm)

    Can’t wait! Looking forward to getting some great close-up pictures of this beautiful machine!

  • wsn00b May 13, 2015 (5:21 pm)

    Dear highly paid lawyers of Foss, at least get the address of your client right on an appeal.

  • wsn00b May 13, 2015 (5:23 pm)

    PS: It’s hilarious how Shell and Foss are like “whatever Seattle, keep appealing”. I’m sure they will just pay whatever measly fine DPD throws at them.

  • Neighbor May 13, 2015 (6:06 pm)

    The Death Star approaches. How unbelievably sad for our children. Perhaps they’re going to remember this was the time when we still had a chance to fend off the worst of global warming and the Port of Seattle let a small profit take their future away. Can you imagine the horror those generations are going to recall this with?

  • West Seattle Hipster May 13, 2015 (6:43 pm)

    That thing is MASSIVE. I can’t wait to see it here.

  • el hefe May 13, 2015 (7:11 pm)

    So phallic!! Welcome the Big D

  • Buck May 13, 2015 (7:25 pm)

    Yes, neighbor, the end of days is nigh. The eco-maniacs remind me of all the cults and religions that are founded on the belief that the end of the world is imminent. The ideological zealotry is similar.

  • west seattle codger May 13, 2015 (7:39 pm)

    By all means let’s keep these beasts away. That will maintain the illusion of environmental purity here. It may also have the side effect of proving to the ocean carriers and shippers that the City and Port of Seattle are not stable business partners. Why don’t we have the Port cede the T-5 space to the Duwamish Tribe? Let them use it in whatever capacity the tribe chooses. Then, as more shippers don’t dock here the need for rail and road improvement will go away. Then, in the developer’s dream, all that space become open for high rise condos and apartments. No need for that pesky light industrial area then either. Let Amazon and Vulcan have at it.

  • dsa May 13, 2015 (8:02 pm)

    And when the jobs are gone, we will be the Detroit of the west.

  • Brian M. May 13, 2015 (8:37 pm)

    How sad for our children? Seems a bit dramatic. Those children probably ride diesel buses, take trips to Disneyland on planes that use Jet A fuel, and have their schools heated by natural gas. The best thing we can do for our children is be good stewards of their public resources, while acknowledging that while we strive to do better, there is still a nagging dependency on drilling. Until we reduce demand (which WE bear the responsibility for), then it is hard to feign disgust as those providing the supply.

  • Jim May 13, 2015 (8:57 pm)

    That thing is going to be a blight on our beautiful Elliott Bay.

  • lovesbears May 13, 2015 (9:14 pm)

    Well said Brian M

  • carl May 13, 2015 (9:32 pm)

    They are going to try and shove this down our throats. Speak up against this. And yes – stop buying gas pigs, you know the ones.

  • Abo May 13, 2015 (9:41 pm)

    Well said Brian M. There is the far right and the far left, and somewhere in the middle there are solutions to our problems.

  • MOVE Seattle May 13, 2015 (9:58 pm)

    Yes – well said Brian M!
    How many of the protesters arrive via wind, solar or human power? Most probably drive their Kayaks on top of their car to the water…right?!? Or even arrive by airplane….

  • ChefJoe May 13, 2015 (10:12 pm)

    It’s too bad the thing is too big to go through the locks to park in the middle of lake union until they have the hearing saying “boats are expected to moor at a cargo terminal”.

    That’s OK, park it off Alki point so I can get a really good look at it. It’ll be a smuggler’s refuge like how bootleggers used blake island.

  • cj May 13, 2015 (10:30 pm)

    I wish all you protesters the best of luck. Be safe!

  • West May 13, 2015 (10:41 pm)

    Most people who are protesting understand the irony of driving their kayaks to the water….it’s the fact that they intend to drill in a extremely remote, extremely harsh part of the arctic where any type of accident would have vast and far reaching implications and would be impossible to contain.

  • Buck May 13, 2015 (11:10 pm)

    Abo, I would say that there is the far right and the far left, and somewhere in between lies sanity and rationality. Unfortunately, Seattle politics is and, for as long as I can remember, has been far left to extreme left.

  • JanS May 14, 2015 (1:55 am)

    so…according to the local news this evening, it will leave Seattle in June until October, until which time it will over-winter here for 6-8 months…they supposedly are willing to pay the fine for every day they are at Terminal 5, since they do not have a permit, according to the city. Get used to seeing it..

    • WSB May 14, 2015 (2:10 am)

      We reported the overwintering details back in January when this came to light days before the first Port Commission meeting:
      .
      https://westseattleblog.com/2015/01/what-you-might-see-at-west-seattles-now-empty-terminal-5-as-soon-as-march/
      .
      One thing about fines, though, the city can escalate to court after some point. If they can do that for people who are in violation for overgrown vegetation or yard junk, certainly they can, if they choose, for something like this. The platform’s under way from PA as of half an hour or so ago, so we’ll see soon enough how it begins …

  • jsmith May 14, 2015 (6:32 am)

    city has no authority over the port. the police will likely shut down traffic for the protesters as they did with the occupy crowd. it is amazing that these people say that they are the progressives. it seems regressive to want to return to the 1400’s. at least they are consistent with support for tyranny in the middle east and eating paleo. the only thing missing is appointing a king… the rig will be here just as their contract states. it is a drill rig it will not harm you. just like a potato or a gun it has no soul or free will. I know common sense is a tall order but how about a civil society.

  • puget_sound_jobs May 14, 2015 (7:11 am)

    I have the day off, a kayak and I support oil exploration. Are there any groups in the area that will be there in support of the oil rig? I’d like to join them.

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