Published: Monday, June 9, 2008
Logs out, containers in at Port of Everett
Once a hot business at the Port of Everett, log exporting has given way to container shipping, primarily for Boeing
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Michael O'Leary / Herald file photo
Logs destined for export are piled up at the Port of Everett in February 2005. Container shipping, particularly handling shipments for Boeing, is now the primary focus at the port.
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Mike Benbow / Herald file photo
The Westwood Victoria drops of some containers of jet parts from Japan at the Port of Everett before heading to Seattle to unload the rest of its cargo in February 2006.
EVERETT -- For the end of an era, there wasn't much fanfare, just a quick announcement during last week's meeting at the Port of Everett.
The port is out of the log-exporting business, once by far its biggest activity.
At its peak during the late '80s, the port exported more than 300 million board feet of timber a year, enough to cram 50 ships with logs headed for Asia.
"We had two ships last year," said the port's Carl Wollobek. "We haven't had one this year."
As exports have slowed, Jim Dunlap of Dunlap Towing had been using a log yard at the port for assembly timber for the domestic market. But port officials asked him to suspend the operation by June 1 because it needs the space for other aspects of its business that are going great guns.
"The port's interest would be in export and that's understandable," Dunlap said.
He and his family have been in the log business for many years and have seen it ebb.
"It's been a long, slow process," he said.
In essence, he said, the Asian markets have been buying less expensive timber from other countries.
Dunlap said if business changes, he'd like to come back to the port. Wollobek said if business redevelops, the port would be glad to have him.
But for now, what was once the backbone of the port's business is all gone.
"In the '80s, it was a hot market," Wollobek said. "We'd have four log ships on berth constantly. We had 150 longshoremen in Everett. The business just kind of left."
As log sales dwindled, the number of longshoremen dropped to as low as 18, Wollobek said.
He noted that during the period, the port had three key businesses: shipping logs to Asia, receiving alumina ore that was sent by rail to a Montana alumina smelter and shipping Northwest apples and pears overseas.
"None of those businesses are here today," he noted.
The port saw the changes coming and gradually worked to reassemble its facilities and secure the equipment necessary to reshape itself, Wollobek said.
The alumina has been replaced by a 20-year contract to receive cement from Asia for use around the Northwest and a 20-year contract with the Boeing Co. to receive plane parts. The new 787 was going to be part of that equation, but Boeing decided to fly in parts by plane. But it's still shipping pieces of the 777, 767 and even the 747.
The port also added two container cranes. And it has established regular visits by two shipping lines to build business in Japan and other Asian countries and to send equipment to a Russian gold field.
Business, Wollobek said, is booming. "It's all kind of humming along," he added last week. "We're kind of stretching the envelope, but it's working."
He noted that there are now 30 or so longshoremen based in Everett and said they have been working hard to handle the new business.
"Last week we had 500 containers in and sent 400 out," Wollobek said. "We never have had so many containers."
While the port doesn't have to have the log business, it hates to see it go, he said.
"It's been good to the community," he said. "We're sad to see it go, but markets change."
The port is out of the log-exporting business, once by far its biggest activity.
At its peak during the late '80s, the port exported more than 300 million board feet of timber a year, enough to cram 50 ships with logs headed for Asia.
"We had two ships last year," said the port's Carl Wollobek. "We haven't had one this year."
As exports have slowed, Jim Dunlap of Dunlap Towing had been using a log yard at the port for assembly timber for the domestic market. But port officials asked him to suspend the operation by June 1 because it needs the space for other aspects of its business that are going great guns.
"The port's interest would be in export and that's understandable," Dunlap said.
He and his family have been in the log business for many years and have seen it ebb.
"It's been a long, slow process," he said.
In essence, he said, the Asian markets have been buying less expensive timber from other countries.
Dunlap said if business changes, he'd like to come back to the port. Wollobek said if business redevelops, the port would be glad to have him.
But for now, what was once the backbone of the port's business is all gone.
"In the '80s, it was a hot market," Wollobek said. "We'd have four log ships on berth constantly. We had 150 longshoremen in Everett. The business just kind of left."
As log sales dwindled, the number of longshoremen dropped to as low as 18, Wollobek said.
He noted that during the period, the port had three key businesses: shipping logs to Asia, receiving alumina ore that was sent by rail to a Montana alumina smelter and shipping Northwest apples and pears overseas.
"None of those businesses are here today," he noted.
The port saw the changes coming and gradually worked to reassemble its facilities and secure the equipment necessary to reshape itself, Wollobek said.
The alumina has been replaced by a 20-year contract to receive cement from Asia for use around the Northwest and a 20-year contract with the Boeing Co. to receive plane parts. The new 787 was going to be part of that equation, but Boeing decided to fly in parts by plane. But it's still shipping pieces of the 777, 767 and even the 747.
The port also added two container cranes. And it has established regular visits by two shipping lines to build business in Japan and other Asian countries and to send equipment to a Russian gold field.
Business, Wollobek said, is booming. "It's all kind of humming along," he added last week. "We're kind of stretching the envelope, but it's working."
He noted that there are now 30 or so longshoremen based in Everett and said they have been working hard to handle the new business.
"Last week we had 500 containers in and sent 400 out," Wollobek said. "We never have had so many containers."
While the port doesn't have to have the log business, it hates to see it go, he said.
"It's been good to the community," he said. "We're sad to see it go, but markets change."
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