Two updates related to the ongoing modernization work at Terminal 5 in West Seattle:

QUIET ZONE CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN: SDOT is overseeing the construction of T-5’s “Quiet Zone“ – which involves modifying railroad crossings in hopes of reducing the need for train operators serving T-5 to blow their horns. Back in January, we reported that the project had gone to bid and wasn’t expected to be complete before 2024. Today SDOT says the succssful bidder was Merlino Construction and that they could start work as soon as the first week in April, with construction lasting about a year.

NO SHORE POWER YET: Ships using T-5’s north berth still aren’t plugging in. Various reasons have been given for the delays; Melanie Stambaugh from the Northwest Seaport Alliance, which oversees the Seattle and Tacoma cargo operations, gave us another update this week:

Unfortunately, the system is still experiencing technical difficulties. As a reminder, this is the first international cargo facility in Puget Sound to install a shore power system, so we are still very much in the learning phase. The large number of stakeholders involved are anxious to get it working as soon as possible and The Northwest Seaport Alliance is doing all that we can to expedite the process.

Last time we checked in, the delay was attributed to “administrative” problems. But it’s something else now, Stambaugh told us: “We’re glad to say that the previous administrative problems have been resolved. Currently, the NWSA, alongside our partners, are working through some technical challenges with both the hardware and software.” Shore-power-capable ships originally were supposed to be able to plug in from the start of T-5’s modernized operations early last year.

One month ago, in the latest quarterly update on Terminal 5 in West Seattle, the Northwest Seaport Alliance reported that shore-power use at T-5 was imminent. But that month has passed, and it hasn’t happened. As noted here back in November, first the delay was attributed to labor negotiations; then it was blamed on a technical problem. Now, according to NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh, “We are one of many stakeholders involved with the shore power component of terminal operations. We believe that the infrastructure is ready to go at this point, but understand there are some internal administrative matters that still must be addressed on our tenant side. We are hopeful that we will see a ship plugged in before the end of the month, but currently issues remain outside of our control.” Shore power was a much-discussed, much-awaited feature of the half-billion-dollar T-5 overhaul; its use means that ships wouldn’t have to burn fuel to power their generators while in port.

We’ve been talking in morning traffic coverage about truck backups outside local cargo terminals. This came up at today’s meeting of the managing members of the Northwest Seaport Alliance – Seattle and Tacoma port commissioners – and the ultimate reason for the backups are not because the terminals are too busy. Just the opposite. A dramatic drop in cargo volume has led the terminals’ operator SSA to cut operating hours, the NWSA says. Besides what we have already mentioned – the terminals opening an hour later, at 8 am rather than 7 am – the commissioners were told that the docks are no longer running through lunch hour, and they’ve also been closing on Fridays, so what’s been a 50-hour workweek is now down to 32. Truckers get paid by the trip so despite terminals opening later, they’re all rushing to get there first thing in the morning in hopes of squeezing in a second or third trip despite the shorter day.

So why is volume down? NWSA executives say a major reason is uncertainty related to contract talks continuing on the West Coast – shippers are going to the Gulf and East Coasts instead. (Added: Here’s a recent industry report on trends.) But, cautioned NWSA CEO John Wolfe, that’s not the only reason – the “softening market” because of reduced consumer demand is a big factor too. And, concern was voiced, once they’ve lost business to other coasts, they’ll have to fight to get it back. In the meantime, regarding the truck backups, NWSA executives say they have no way to force SSA to change its hours to address the truck-backup problem – “What cures this is more volume.” Meantime, the NWSA meeting continues with other topics, including a T-5 briefing, yet to come – you can watch here.

(Photo from Northwest Seaport Alliance presentation for Tuesday’s meeting)

Every quarter, the port commissioners of Seattle and Tacoma – convening as managing members of the Northwest Seaport Alliance – get a briefing on “modernization” work at West Seattle’s Terminal 5. Agenda documents are now published for the next one, scheduled for their meeting this Tuesday (February 7th). From those documents – memo here, slide deck here – we learn that the South Berth, previously expected to be complete by now, won’t be finished until fall, when its cranes are now scheduled for an October arrival. At the North Berth, now one year into cargo operations, the first shore-power usage is supposed to happen any time now. The total T-5 project budget is now authorized for $454 million, more than $110 million beyond the $340 million cost estimate given four years ago. Tuesday’s meeting, happening at the airport but also available for online viewing, is scheduled to start at 9:30 am with a closed-door executive session; the public session will start around 11:30 am.

(WSB photo, first call at modernized north T-5 berth, January 7, 2022)

After a year in which key accomplishments included opening the first modernized Terminal 5 cargo berth in West Seattle, the Port of Seattle is looking ahead to 2023. You’re invited to watch a livestreamed “State of the Port” presentation tomorrow morning (Thursday, January 19th), 8:30 am. The presentation, happening at the Museum of Flight, will be streamed at portofseattle.live (no registration required to watch).

Last Friday we reported that the Terminal 5 Quiet Zone project was open for bidding. Originally it was to be completed before the first of the two “modernized” berths at the dock had its first cargo call, but that’s been a year now, and the Quiet Zone remains yet to come. When we published Friday’s short update, one question remained: If the bidding stays on its current schedule, when will the project be built and completed? Though SDOT is responsible for the project, which will modify railroad crossings in a way that should reduce the need for train horns, they deferred the question to the Northwest Seaport Alliance, the Seattle/Tacoma cargo-shipping authority. NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh tells WSB the chosen contractor is likely to get the “notice to proceed” by this summer, and construction should be complete “in 2024.”

P.S. More project details are in this report from last July.

One year after the modernized north berth at Terminal 5 in West Seattle had its first cargo call, the T-5 project’s “Quiet Zone” component has finally gone out to bid. It’s a package of crossing improvements aimed at reducing the need for train operators to sound their horns along a six-tenths-of-a-mile stretch of track between T-5 and Riverside Mill (specifics are in this followup last July). In the most-recent briefings, in November, NWSA reps said the project was expected to be in bidding by year’s end. SDOT is overseeing the construction so the bidding documents are in the city system, which says bids are due January 25th. This summary of the project estimates the cost at about $5 million. We have questions out to SDOT regarding when they’re expecting construction to start and conclude, given the current bidding timeline.

Ten months after the Northwest Seaport Alliance – the cargo-focused partnership of the Seattle and Tacoma ports – opened the first modernized berth at Terminal 5 in West Seattle [map], work continues on the second. And the first is not yet fully operational – as we reported last Monday, the shore-power system hasn’t been used yet. That was one of the T-5 topics discussed at two meetings this past week – on Tuesday, the NWSA managing members (Seattle/Tacoma port commissioners), and on Wednesday, the District 1 Community Network (a coalition of advocates from organizations in West Seattle and South Park). Here are the highlights of what we saw and heard:

Terminal 5’s north berth had 52 vessel calls through August. More than 30 percent of those ships’ cargo was moved through the terminal on rail (one of the dock’s major attributes), 40 percent of the containers that move through the terminal are empties, being shipped back overseas. That still leaves a lot of cargo being handled with trucks, and a focus right now is to find close-by parking so the trucks don’t wind up overnighting in neighborhoods – they’re working to create about 100 spaces on Harbor Island, along 11th and 13th SW. They’re also working on creating parking at T-25 (map), which could hold more than 300 truck spots.

Back to rail – many residents near T-5 have eagerly awaited the Quiet Zone, crossing modifications that should result in less train-horn-blowing. Though it’s part of the T-5 project, SDOT is leading the construction, and expecting to put the project out to bid before year’s end. Here’s the overview of what it’ll involve:

Because of questions at a past briefing, the NWSA reps also brought this graphic showing the Quiet Zone in the context of the 5-way intersection by the major entrance to T-5:

But at both meetings, the shore-power issue sparked the most discussion. The attempt to connect a ship was apparently made on October 8th. The problem that got in the way was described as two computer systems talking to each other (or not, in this case). Wasn’t it tested earlier? staff was asked at the NWSA meeting. The reply was that training had been done, but “each ship is a little different” and they just didn’t know how it would play out until they actually tried to plug a ship into the system. So now they’re troubleshooting. An ILWU Local 19 rep at that meeting, there to comment on another agenda issue, pointed out that their workers had been connecting cruise ships at Pier 91 in Magnolia to shore power “for years.”

Full details of the NWSA briefing on T-5 are in this memo and this slide deck.

(T-5 construction photo from NWSA slide deck)

Tomorrow, the Seattle and Tacoma port commissions meet together as managing members of the Northwest Seaport Alliance. Their agenda includes the quarterly update on West Seattle’s Terminal 5, and agenda documents reveal two notable updates:

STILL NO SHORE POWER: As we reported about a month ago, despite the modernized Berth 1 at T-5 having been built with the capability for ships to plug into “shore power” and therefore avoid burning fuel while docked, it still wasn’t happening. But it was finally going to start this month, NWSA told us. It hasn’t, according to an agenda document with this update:

The first shore power plug-in was scheduled for early October and had to be postponed due to configuration issues. A solution to the issues is being coordinated between the shipping line, the terminal operator, Port of Seattle, and NWSA.

We have an inquiry out asking what the “configuration issues” are and what kind of timeline is expected for their resolution. Added Tuesday morning: Here’s the response to our questions from NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh: “The shore power configuration issues indicated in the briefing memo are related to electrical issues that emerged when the initial plug-in was tested. The NWSA, Port of Seattle, and SSA are working toward a solution that will correct the electrical wiring and enable ships to plug-in. The timing is difficult to estimate at this time. Our team is hopeful the timeframe will be weeks or a month or two at the latest.”

SOUTH BERTH ESTIMATE: While the first modernized berth at T-5 opened early this year, the second berth – the south side of the dock – has been under construction. Last year, there were hopes it would be done by the end of this year. Agenda documents for tomorrow’s meeting say it’ll be closer to the end of next year:

Phase 2 (South Berth) construction project is currently behind the contract schedule date of December 31, 2022. Likely completion is September 2023, in time for the delivery of the South Berth cranes. … Activities are behind schedule due to concrete strike and the additional scope of the pile repair.

The public session of the meeting is expected to start around 12:30 pm Tuesday; here’s the agenda, and here’s where the meeting will be streamed.

One week ago, we reported on a protest at Terminal 5 that led the Northwest Seaport Alliance to close the dock for the day. Climate activists – whose chanting was heard in north West Seattle neighborhoods – were calling attention to the continued lack of shore-power use at T-5, even though it was built with that capability. Early in the year, NWSA told us it was still the subject of labor negotiations. That’s apparently been the continued holdup, almost nine months after the terminal’s first modernized berth opened. City Councilmember Lisa Herbold had a followup in her most-recent weekly newsletter, mentioning an agreement in those negotiations, but the update wasn’t clear on whether ships subsequently had plugged in. Not yet, NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh subsequently told WSB: “The NWSA has been made aware that an interim agreement has been reached for shore power use at Terminal 5. No vessels have plugged in (yet), however, we expect the first vessel to plug into the shore power at T5 starting in October.” So far the first ship on T-5’s October schedule is due in a week from Friday.

Back in June, we reported that the Port of Seattle was down to two finalists in its police-chief search. Today, port executive director Steve Metruck announced that he’s chosen interim chief Michael Villa for the permanent job. Villa has been with the department for five years and has been interim chief since last fall, after the previous chief was fired following a year-plus on leave during what regional media described as a misconduct investigation. Villa is a former Tukwila Police chief and will lead a Port department that today’s announcement says “s currently authorized with 130 commissioned police officers along with over 40 non-commissioned personnel.” The other finalist for the job was Seattle Police East Precinct commander Capt. Eric Sano.

TUESDAY REPORT: The Seattle Police Department is actually one of two local PDs with a chief search under way. The Port of Seattle also is without a permanent police chief at the moment, but it’s getting closer to a hire, and that’s of interest with the Port PD’s jurisdiction including Terminal 5 and other sites here in West Seattle. This week, the port is expected to announce finalists for the job, and next Monday, the finalists are expected to answer questions at an online public forum. The previous chief was fired last fall, more than a year after he was placed on leave during what regional media described as a misconduct investigation. Mike Villa has been serving as interim chief. The port’s webpage about the chief search has information on how to watch the finalists’ forum at 4:30 pm June 27th, and how to send advance questions (requested by tomorrow).

ADDED WEDNESDAY: Two finalists have been announced – interim chief Villa, and Seattle Police Captain Eric Sano, currently commander of SPD’s East Precinct.

(WSB reader photo sent in 2018 by Huck)

If you have a view of Elliott Bay, it’s about to get busier for the spring/summer: The Port of Seattle is expecting its first cruise-ship arrival of the season on Saturday (April 23rd) – the 4-year-old, 4,000-passenger-capacity Norwegian Bliss (above), docking at Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 downtown. The port’s announcement says 296 ship calls are expected this summer, with “an expected 1.2 million revenue passengers.” According to the full-season schedule, the first multi-arrival day will be a week from Saturday, with three ships due in on April 30th. The season will last exactly six months, with the last ship call scheduled for October 23rd.

P.S. If you’ve noticed a cruise ship here recently, that was Ovation of the Seas, same one that was hanging around last fall because its Australian season was canceled. It will start Alaska cruises from here next month.

This morning, the Northwest Seaport Alliance sent out notices saying Terminal 5 and other Seattle cargo docks would be closed for a day, effective immediately, because of a longshore workers’ “24-hour stop work.” We’ve had messages out since then to find out why; this is the NWSA response:

The Port of Seattle and The Northwest Seaport Alliance have been made aware of a member of International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local 19 passing away at the Pier 86 grain facility. As is tradition after a member dies while at work, facilities in Seattle only will be closed for the remainder of the day, with shifts starting again tomorrow morning. We offer our deepest condolences to ILWU and the worker’s family and friends during this difficult time.

The Seattle Fire 911 log shows a medical call to that facility just after 7 am today.

Almost a month and a half after modernized Terminal 5 opened for international cargo shipping, it has yet to use a major feature of that modernization – shore power. We visited T-5 this morning as the largest vessel yet, MSC Virgo, was being unloaded:

Virgo is 1,200 feet long, with a capacity of 15,000 TEUs, the second-biggest ship ever to be served by the Northwest Seaport Alliance (the joint cargo authority of the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma) – the biggest was CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, the 18,000-TEU megaship that made a much-celebrated visit six years ago at Terminal 18 on Harbor Island. So why isn’t MSC Virgo using shore power? NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh says it’s a labor issue that terminal operator SSA is working on: “Currently, labor parties are negotiating the use of shore power equipment on the terminal and usage will be determined when negotiations are complete.” Meantime, what are literally the biggest aspects of the modernization work, the four giant cranes, are working well, Stambaugh says.

Some of the cargo brought in by Virgo will be transported away by rail, another key operational advantage of T-5. NWSA says there’s no ship backup currently here, but Canada still has issues, so it’s expecting to see more cargo that was originally intended to be offloaded there – a “huge win” as described at the most-recent NWSA managing-members meeting. Virgo, meantime, will be here until Monday; the shipping schedule changes frequently but you can watch it here to see what’s next.

Thanks to Amy Pieper for sending the photo! As noted in our morning traffic (etc.) watch, what might be the biggest ship yet to call at West Seattle’s Terminal 5, a month after its opening, is there today. The MSC Margrit‘s capacity is 13,600 TEUs – more than double the capacity of the first ship to call at T-5 last month. Though it’s only about a decade old, the Northwest Seaport Alliance says MSC Margrit is not shore-power capable, so T-5 has yet to see a ship plug in.

(WSB photo, last month)

One month after its first modernized berth opened for cargo shipping, Terminal 5 has ‘already had a huge win,” Northwest Seaport Alliance managing members were told at their February meeting.

The NWSA says the West Seattle terminal is benefiting from port and railroad congestion in Canada – two of the first three ships to call were sent here instead of Vancouver, B.C., and sent thousands of containers via rail to Montreal and Toronto. Terminal 5’s rail capability was a key selling point for the modernization project.

This was announced in the “operational update” during the meeting of the Seattle and Tacoma port commissioners (the NWSA is the two ports’ joint cargo-operations authority). They were told that the initial startup of T-5’s north berth “is going very well.” All four of the giant new cranes have operated with no downtime – something of a rarity, NWSA staff said – and unions have filled all the terminal operators’ orders for workers.

Next milestones for the north berth, as we’ve reported, will be the arrival of the first big ships later this month (the dates change frequently). These also tend to be newer as well as shore-power-capable, meaning they can use on-dock electricity rather than running their engines and burning fuel while docked.

The NWSA meeting this past Tuesday (here’s the video) also included a construction update on the overall T-5 project, which includes modernization of the south berth, on which work is well under way. Project manager Emma Del Vento said they’re seeing some effects of the concrete strike and supply-chain issues, but nothing affecting the “critical path” schedule overall. Here’s the slide deck she presented:

The total cost of the T-5 project is now projected at $368 million. That’s double the low end of the early projections back in 2015.

This week we’ve heard from several people wondering about noisy work at Terminal 5, most mentioning “pile-driving.” While the north–berth modernization work is complete and, as we’ve been reporting, the berth is in service, the south berth is now under construction. Our archives showed the window for “in-water” work – a deadline set to minimize fish impacts – is February 15th. We asked Northwest Seaport Alliance spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh for an update on the work and whether that deadline will be extended again this year. Here’s her response:

The questions regarding noise could be related to a combination of terminal operations and construction. The only new activity this week is dredging, while all other construction work has been underway at the same pace since September.

Yes, the in-water work window typically ends 2/15. We have applied for an extension to 2/28 as an effort to reduce any other in-water work being needed at a later time. We will abide by our permits and permissions from the appropriate regulatory authorities and only continue in-water work if the extension is granted.

For the South berth construction, landside work is expected to continue all year. The landside pile driving is complete, and only dock construction remains.

Meanwhile, ships continue to call at the newly opened north berth – here’s our latest update.