Message from the Project Director
The rest of this newsletter will present you with specific pieces about our work and shipping issues in Oregon. But much of our work, on a daily basis, involves research and outreach.
On the research side, we have been studying:
- Land use issues relating to existing ports and possible port development
- Deepwater port development relating to areas in the Columbia River and Coos Bay
- Land use issues relating to a potential intermodal facility in the Willamette Valley
- Anti-Trust issues relating to cooperation among shipping services
- Port of Portland tax revenue sources
- Requirements for establishment of foreign trade zones and ports of entry
- U.S. government requirements and restrictions as to foreign investment in U.S. port facilities and shipping companies
- The impact of the Jones Act on transshipment of containers through Hawaii or Guam
- Studies as to approaches taken by smaller, and effective, East Coast ports.
We have engaged in discussions with a small shipping line in regard to customized container shipping from a smaller Oregon port to single specific destinations in Asia or the Pacific. This is limited because the only existing facility which has the necessary X-Ray and radiation equipment is Terminal 6 at the Port of Portland.
I often give speeches to civic groups regarding the lack of use of container Terminal 6 and its impact on the Oregon economy, as well as our proposed solutions.
We are routinely reaching out to businesses which want to support reliable, predictable, and cost efficient shipping facilities and programs, especially for containers.
We are continuing our work with legislators and other political leaders to develop support for the Oregon Trade and Shipping Development Act.
We appreciate all of the support we have received since this project began in December 2015.
Sincerely,
Kevin L. Mannix
Project Director