RV Finds Astoria Accomodating

With miles of ocean, and thousands of ports from which to choose, it was no accident that the 470 foot research vessel JOIDES Resolution, an ocean depths research ship owned by TransOcean, called Port of Astoria’s Pier 1 “home” for a ten day stay.

The JOIDES arrived on June 18 to load pipe and stores, and to remobilize the ship after a recent project in Japan.

Two advance location scouts made earlier visits to the area, and crew members and research program representatives found everything promised of this deep draft port: An adequate labor force, sufficient laydown area between the piers, comparable dockage rates, required equipment for loading and remobilizing of the vessel, reasonable proximity to an international airport and interstate highway, throughput to Port of Portland, and a receptive community.

The ship’s agent, Barwil Agencies, Inc., coordinated the labor to complete the job. Barwil hired Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) to provide the services of twenty-four round-the clock workers, exhausting the local ILWU #50 labor force. Additional workers were hired from Coos Bay and other areas. “The Port of Astoria facility is as good as it gets,” said Jim Boustead, Operations Manager for TransOcean, and one of the location scouts who visited Astoria earlier this year to meet with Port of Astoria staff and SSA, and to inspect the port’s facilities.

The Port of Astoria is located near the mouth of the Columbia River, just fourteen miles from the sea buoy. With an economic base firmly rooted in maritime commerce, the community is no stranger to the sounds and sights of this industrial activity.

“Citizens here are glad to receive this type of work, and embrace the Mariners in their businesses. People here recognize these vessels as for the economic return and job creation they provide,” says Bill Cook, Port of Astoria Deputy Director.

Cook is especially pleased with the cooperation between the port, stevedoring company and the local ILWU #50 union. “This interactive process works to benefit all the players,” Cook said.