Starbucks News

While people in all generations measured themselves against eternal factors—fellow employees, family, their industry, etc.—Generation Z is fixated on measuring themselves against the world as seen through social media. Coaching them will help them begin to turn inward and measure success against their own goals. One of the keys to retaining your Gen Z workers will be in positively coaching them.Coaching should provide positive feedback about employee contributions. At the same time…

Seven days before Japan quarantined a cruise ship near Tokyo early this year, in what became one of the first coronavirus hot spots outside China, another cruise ship docked in southern Japan.For the next five weeks, as the virus took hold in Japan and the Diamond Princess in Yokohama port grabbed global attention, the Japanese authorities issued no warnings to the Costa Atlantica 1,200 km (750 miles) to the southwest.Passengers from the Yokohama ship were dying while people from the other vessel freely got on and off…

The Port of Angeles has expanded its commitment to sustainability by issuing $35.2 million in green bonds as part of a larger debt refinancing successfully completed this week. The move marks the first time a U.S. port has entered the growing sustainability bond market where investors support projects and companies making positive social and environmental change. “Running a competitive and environmentally responsible port permeates every facet of our operations,’’ said Marla Bleavins, the Port’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer. The green bonds are part of an overall $201.6 million bond issue that will net the Port a record present value savings of $32.5 million, an average of $1.9 million annually through 2040.

Regulators cracking down on national schemes which benefit some; more legal battles ahead with Luxembourg, Dutch tax appeals. EU state aid regulators are looking to Europe's top court to back their decision against a Spanish tax lease scheme for shipbuilders, one of several cases included in a crackdown on national tax programmes which benefit only certain companies. The decision by the European Commission on Monday to appeal to the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union came after a lower court threw out the EU executive's finding in December last year. Judges said the Spanish scheme which involved financing ship construction through a structure with two intermediaries…

The Dutch Finance Ministry said on Thursday it was "disappointed" with an EU Commission order to do away with corporate tax exemptions for six ports, including Rotterdam, Europe's largest. The measure puts the Netherlands at a disadvantage, the government said in a statement, calling on the Commission to ensure fair competition. European Union regulators told Dutch authorities on Thursday to scrap a corporate tax exemption for the ports and also ordered Belgium and France to align their port taxation systems with the bloc's state aid rules. "The Commission's decisions today regarding the Netherlands, Belgium and France make clear that if port operators generate profits from economic activities these should be taxed," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said.

Court says scheme does not give firms selective advantage; EU regulators cracking down on unfair tax systems. Europe's second-highest court gave clearance on Thursday to a Spanish tax lease scheme in the shipbuilding industry, annulling a decision by EU regulators two years ago that this gave a selective advantage to companies and so was illegal state aid. The ruling by the Luxembourg-based General Court underlines the hurdles facing the European Commission in its crackdown on corporate tax avoidance and national programmes that benefit only certain groups. The Spanish scheme involved financing ship construction through a structure with two intermediaries, and allowing shipping companies to get a rebate of 20 to 30 percent on the price of vessels built by Spanish shipyards.

Marcon International, Inc. of Coupeville, Washington reported the sale of the U.S. flag, twin screw tug “Pacific Patriot” (ex-Pacific King) from Kirby Marine Offshore to U.S. West Coast buyers on private terms. This was the 300th tug brokered by Marcon and 1,351st sale or charter since the sale of the vintage and some would say very “classic” 1950s built, 135’ supply boat “Low Tide” from Tidewater in the early 1980s. Built in 1980 by Main Iron Works in Bayou Blue, Louisiana, the 1,700BHP “Pacific Patriot” measures 77’ x 26.5’ x 11’ depth of hull and is powered by twin CAT D398SCACs driving fixed pitch propellers in kort nozzles, developing a bollard pull of 26.4 tons and free running speed of 12kn.

The Port of Seattle is now recruiting for its Veterans Fellowship Program. The Port of Seattle says it is dedicated to helping military personnel transition from active duty to civilian employment. The port understands the importance of veterans serving their country and it is estimated that as many as 20% of the port's employee base are veterans or still on active duty (2011). In the picture from left to right: Luis Navarro, Director, Office of Social Responsibility, Rob Porcarelli 
Corporate Counsel, Starbucks; Ricardo Martinez, U.S. Navy, Separated; Nicholas McCallon, U.S.

“There is a resurgence of the marine industry in the Pacific Northwest we haven’t seen for 20 to 30 years now,” said Vince Piscitello, Vice President of Business Development for Vigor Industrial LLC. “The oil and gas industry is really new to our area,” he said, although he expects to see it grow significantly with Shell’s exploration of the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off Alaska’s northern coast. State run ferry operations in Washington and Alaska are at a point where they must renew fleets built in the 50s and 60s.

My dear friend and ex-boss from Texas Oil & Gas, Mike R. Dixon died April 25, 2011. "He was a great man" are the words his children use to describe him. And that he was. His family has started a scholarship fund through the Oklahoma State University for students pursing journalism and communications. Below is a letter written by his son, Gregory Dixon. "In case you haven't heard, my father, Mike Ray Dixon, 67, of Katy, Texas, passed away April 25, 2011 while vacationing in Hawaii with his wife Judy, and sons Gregory (myself), and Douglas, and Matthew.

Royal Caribbean International’s newest cruise ship, Allure of the Seas, was welcomed by more than 8,000 guests and crew members aboard sister-ship Oasis of the Seas on Saturday, Nov. 13. The world’s two largest and most revolutionary cruise ships were together for the first time at sea just two days after Allure of the Seas completed a 13-day trans-Atlantic journey from Turku, Finland. In a friendly case of sibling rivalry, Allure of the Seas' captain, Hernan Zini, confirms that his ship is five centimeters longer than Oasis of the Seas…

Burger Boat shipyard launched the m, Mirgab V on Saturday. The tri-deck yacht, christened at the Manitowoc River, was constructed for Mohammed Alshaya, a Kuwaiti executive whose family business employs about 7,000 people, working in some 1,000 stores in the Middle East, including about 200 Starbucks Coffee outlets. According to company executives, the megayacht is the company's first mega-yacht in Burger's new niche of building boats ranging from 115 to 200 ft. in length. It is the company's first yacht to be fully Maritime and Coastguard Agency- and American Bureau of Shipping-certified as a truly ocean-worthy vessel. Source: Herald Times Reporter