Maritime 101:
Celebrating our Five Star Working Waterfronts
Today, our maritime industry has never been stronger—or more important to
our region. That’s why Newspapers In Education and the maritime industry
have teamed up to provide an inside look at our thriving working waterfronts.
Around here, maritime matters.
Washington state’s maritime industry is rooted in the state’s rich history of
timber production, its location as a trade hub, and its proximity to some of the
world’s most productive fisheries. And we’ve always been the primary gateway
to Alaska and Asia.
Our maritime industry is annually worth $30billion to the state economy,
according to a 2013 study by the Economic Development Council of Seattle &
King County and the Workforce Development Council of Seattle and King
County. In 2012, the industry directly employed 57,700 workers, with an
average salary of $70,800—nearly $20,000 above the state’s median salary!
Washington is also the most trade-dependent state in the United States.
Today, four in ten jobs in Washington are tied to international trade,
according to the Port of Seattle.
And the maritime industry is thriving!
Early this year, the largest cargo ship to visit the United States arrived at The
Northwest Seaport Alliance’s Terminal 18 in Seattle. The
CMA CMG Benjamin
Franklin
holds more than double the cargo of most container ships calling at
Seaport Alliance terminals, and represents the type of mega-ships entering
the trans-Pacific trade.
How big is this mega-ship?
•
Length:
1,310 feet long, longer than the height of two Space Needles
•
Width:
177 feet, wider than the base of Louvre Pyramid
•
Container capacity:
18,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs),
laid end-to-end, would stretch from Tacoma to Everett (68 miles)
The growth of the industry is not just in shipping. You can see the strength of the industry
at our shipyards, cruise ship terminals, Fishermen’s Terminal, Shilshole Bay Marina, ferry
terminals and maritime businesses throughout Washington.
This Newspaper In Education supplement is part of an overall Maritime 101 program
sponsored by a unique partnership between business, labor, industry associations and
government. Throughout April and May, enjoy the Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival, tours,
industry events and other activities. See the back page for a listing of all the programs.
Maritime 101 is produced by the Seattle Propeller Club, the area’s largest and most diverse
maritime industry association. To learn more about the Club, visit
SeattlePropellerClub.org
.
For additional information about our maritime industry, visit
SeattleMaritime101.com
.
MARITIME 101:
WASHINGTON MARITIME MATTERS
CMA CMG Benjamin Franklin arrives at The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s Terminal 18 in Seattle.
Photo by Don Wilson, Port of Seattle.
1,310 feet
1,123 feet
2
SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2016 |
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