Port of Olympia posts strong finish to 2017 and optimism for 2018

With continuing strength in 2017 in shipping of logs and agricultural products, the Port of Olympia Seaport is well positioned to take advantage of 2018 market opportunities, according to Len Faucher, Port of Olympia Marine Terminal Director.

"Industry officials and analysts expressed cautious optimism about the 2018 breakbulk and project cargo market at the Breakbulk Americas conference in Houston this year," Faucher reported. "The message was that businesses should focus on their competitive niche and service that sector extraordinarily well. That's what we do, thanks to our relationship with our local longshore who work with Port management and customers to continually seek ways to achieve efficiencies leading to lower costs." "Breakbulk/project cargo market poised for recovery" was the headline of a recent Journal of Commerce article. "2017 may not be as dreadful as near-disaster 2016, but I'm afraid it will be difficult to write black figures for most operators by the end of this year," said Dirk Visser of Dynamar in the JOC story. "That said, a worldwide, albeit still weak, recovery can definitely be noticed, which gives hope for a better 2018."  For 2017, Faucher expects the Port to handle 113,843,310 board feet of logs, 2,045.58 metric tons of livestock, 6,402.57 metric tons of bulk organic grain, and 14,924.86 metric tons of bulk gold ore. "With a 140-metric ton lifting capacity mobile harbor crane, a modern 76,000 square foot warehouse sitting just 175 feet from the dock, and 39 feet of depth at the dock at mean low low water, the Port has the assets needed to move a variety of cargoes in 2018," Faucher concluded.