Published October 2005

Report: Port a job,
money generator

SCBJ Staff

The Port of Everett is one of the city’s — and the county’s — most valuable economic assets, according to a report released in September that shows the port is responsible for more than 800 waterfront jobs and another 1,200 jobs created in port-related industries and services.

In a study of 2004 port activities in its marine cargo, property and marina divisions, Pennsylvania-based Martin Associates found a total of 2,070 jobs generated by the port’s presence, with an economic impact of $162 million annually.

“We’re very proud of the fact that the port provides so many good, family-wage jobs and so much income for our community,” port Executive Director John Mohr said in a news release.

Martin Associates found the port’s marina, the second largest on the West Coast, provided 294 direct jobs. Related spending by private companies created 161 jobs, and spending by the people the companies employ generated another 248 jobs, bringing the total for the marina to 703 jobs.

Activity at the marina also resulted in approximately $16 million in revenue for marina businesses, $15 million in local purchases and $3.3 million in taxes.

The port’s marine cargo and properties provided 511 direct jobs; companies provided 250 jobs; and worker spending generated 606 jobs, bringing the total to 1,367 jobs. These operations also contributed $51 million in business revenues, $80 million in local purchases and $6.3 million in taxes.

Mohr said the numbers are based on 2004, which was a relatively slow year for port operations. Cargo shipments in 2005 are expected to be dramatically higher.

“This study is very encouraging,” said Jim Shaffer, president of the Everett Port Commission. “Now we just have to wait and see what the final numbers look like after the new terminal business and the North Marina redevelopment are in the mix.”

In total, the port generates more than $66 million in total revenues for businesses, $95 million in local purchases, $9 million in state and local taxes and creates 2,070 jobs for the community, the report said.

Port activity continues to grow, with new shipping agreements it signed this summer coming to fruition. All three of the new shipping lines celebrating their inaugural run to Everett began services in September, a result of commitments for more than 100 ship calls from FESCO, Westwood Shipping Lines and Eastern Car Liner.

“This has been a great summer for the port’s marine terminals,” said Mohr. “Our staff has worked diligently to show the world’s shipping industry all the benefits the Port of Everett offers and ... all that hard work is paying off.”

Last year, only 13 ships came into Everett’s port. Within the next year, contracts with the three shipping lines guarantee the port more than 100 ship calls, in addition to its regular cargo ships of forest products, fruit and alumina ore.

“We have jobs for our longshoreman in this community now,” said Don Hopkins, port commissioner and a retired longshoreman. “This wasn’t always the case. These commitments ensure that jobs will stay in Snohomish County and not go south as they have done in the past.”

Related: North Marina project to transform waterfront

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