Shipping Partnerships Create Economic Opportunity in Everett

Every month Eastern Car Liner (ECL) loads aerospace containers for transport back to Japan to be reloaded with new airplane parts. Typically, this is the only cargo loaded on this vessel at the Port of Everett – until recently.
 
This weekend, for the second time, Everett-based log supplier, Forest Marketing Enterprises, Inc. (FORMARK) will be delivering nearly 3.3 million board feet of logs to the Port of Everett to be loaded under deck of the ECL chartered ship. This shipment is the second of six total shipments for the year, of what is expected to be a multi-year business partnership.
 
“This is a strategic partnership that will benefit jobs, commerce and natural resources in Everett and Washington State,” said Carl Wollebek, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Everett.  “The Port is very fortunate to have industry partners such as Miller Shingle, Dunlap Towing, Stevedoring Services of America, Jones Stevedoring and the ILWU to be able to support the local log industry spearheaded by FORMARK.”
 
The logs for this weekend’s shipment come from partners at the Colville Tribe in Eastern Washington. The tribe’s natural resources were badly damaged in the fires that plagued Eastern Washington, but with challenges come opportunities. While the bark is burnt, the inside of the wood is not damaged, and is suitable for export. Logs will also be sourced from other businesses including many other suppliers.
 
“We have been harvesting burnt wood since this time last year, and are now preparing for a massive replanting program,” said Bob Anderson, Resource Manager for the Colville Tribe. “This partnership is definitely a positive on our end, because the domestic market is saturated, and being able to trade our wood ensures it doesn’t go to waste. It is a win, win.”
 
“This partnership leverages existing vessel calls to create more economic opportunity for our shipping partners, and reuses a damaged natural resource that would have otherwise gone to waste,” President of FORMARK Eric Warren said.  “The production from the longshoreman directly relates to our success in keeping the cargo coming in the future. This new partnership will benefit more than 250 jobs in the region and help keep the logs and forest products industry in Everett sustainable.”
 
ILWU Locals 32, 98,52 longshoremen will spend four days loading the debarked logs waterside at Pier 1 before they load the aerospace containers on the upper deck. The vessel will transit across the Pacific to Japan to offload the aerospace containers, and then journey to China to discharge the logs.
 
“ECL has a long standing partnership with the Port of Everett for handling both export and import cargo, said Bill Christ, President of ECL. “With the FORMARK and Colville Tribe log shipments, an added benefit for us to conduct complete export ship operations in one port call, whereas in the past we have had to voyage elsewhere for log shipments.  One port call along with the stevedore productivity saves us ship operating time and costs and shortens our customer transit time.  Additionally, this log cargo combines well with our aerospace containers for an efficient and maximized cargo load.”
 
The Port of Everett Seaport is a natural choice for exporting forest products due to its close proximity to large timber producers in Eastern Washington, and its multiple berth and waterside storage capacity.