As we come to the end of Women’s History Month 2023, join us in celebrating six local trail blazing women who claimed their place on the working waterfront as some of the first female longshore workers at the Port of Tacoma. In this interview, Bev Berge, Danna Daniel, Kalayah Kelly, Meghan Mason, Gail Ross, and Lynn Scott share stories of breaking down barriers and how longshoring has shaped their lives.

Among the largest container ports in the U.S., the Port of Tacoma is a naturally deepwater port located on Commencement Bay in south Puget Sound. A diverse array of maritime and industrial-related businesses and facilities are located across 2,500 acres of port-owned property, including several major container terminals (managed by The Northwest Seaport Alliance) where some of the world’s largest container shipping lines call. An important economic engine in Pierce County, real estate and marine cargo operations at the Port of Tacoma support more than 42,000 jobs and $3 billion in labor income.

This week, Port of Tacoma and Tacoma Public Schools entered into an Interlocal Agreement to provide a framework to engage in a master planning and site assessment process to support the development of a port-owned property that will include a new maritime skills center and a port maritime center to meet the business needs of the port.

It was a chilly Monday morning, but for seventy-five Tacoma first graders, it was still the perfect day to learn about the environment.

Students from Sherman Elementary recently went on a field trip to the Port of Tacoma’s Lower Wapato Creek habitat site to plant trees and learn about the importance of Wapato Creek in salmon recovery.

Cupid’s arrow may be inspired by the mating rituals of… land snails?

Seriously. Land snails.

Animals don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, they have evolved specific strategies to ensure their survival year-round. Because it’s the New Year, and because I love a good pun, let’s call these survival strategies re-ZOO-lutions.

2022 was the year of the northern migration of the species Portus biologicus (Port Biologist). Two variations of this species, Jenn and Kristin, have been found at the Port of Tacoma. Jenn can be identified by her red plumage while Kristin has brown plumage with a brightly colored cap that appears in the winter.

We look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead, as we continue to implement the goals of our Strategic Plan, Environmental and Clean Air Strategies and serve the Pierce County community.

We are grateful for the support of our community, and thankful for our employees, tenants and everyone who has contributed to the success of the Port. Best wishes for a safe, healthy and prosperous 2023!

At their December 15th meeting, Port of Tacoma Commissioners designated commission officer positions for the upcoming year, with Deanna Keller serving as commission president and Kristin Ang as vice president for 2023. The commission president also serves as co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance.