The Port of Tacoma recognized its customers and tenants by honoring three with the first-ever Summit Awards for their outstanding contributions to Port business and the Pierce County community. Presented April 24 at the Port’s Annual Breakfast, award recipients included Port tenant MacMillan-Piper for Business Magnet, Tacoma terminal operator Totem Ocean Trailer Express for Environmental Stewardship and the Port’s labor partner, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 23, for Livable Community.

“We are so proud of the Port’s many customers and tenants who understand that business, environmental stewardship and livable communities go hand in hand,” Commission President Dick Marzano said at the event.

Award winners were recognized in three categories:

Business Magnet: MacMillan-Piper — With a presence in Tacoma since 1985, MacMillan-Piper currently handles bulk and provides warehouse transloading services at two facilities in the Tacoma Tideflats. In the past year, the company doubled its warehouse transloading space to 202,000 feet to support handling bulk cargoes. MacMillan-Piper also reduced the number of idling and draying trucks by unloading import containers and loading them with exports in the same location, helping to improve air quality.

Environmental Stewardship: Totem Ocean Trailer Express — Totem Ocean Trailer Express, which serves the Alaska trade, was the first commercial cargo carrier in the Puget Sound to install shore power. Its ships now plug into electricity while at berth, reducing diesel emissions. The ISO certified company (in Quality, Environmental and Safety) was also the first to install rain gardens at a marine terminal to manage stormwater quality. The gardens now serve as a demonstration project for other industrial sites interested in innovative, inexpensive ways to meet state water quality benchmarks.

Livable Community: International Labor and Warehouse Union Local 23 — In 2011, the Port’s longshore labor partners donated more than $200,000 in money and goods during holiday toy drives, auctions, walks and other fundraisers that benefited schools and local agencies, including the Foss Waterway Seaport Working Waterfront Museum, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and the YWCA women’s shelter. Union members also volunteered thousands of hours for such organizations as Tall Ships Tacoma, the Multiple Sclerosis Walk, Rainier School, St. Leo’s Hospitality Kitchen and Paint Tacoma-Pierce County Beautiful.

Recipients were selected by a panel of community and business leaders led by Marzano. The panel included Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Bonnie Giese from the Tacoma Transportation Club and Dr. Joel Baker, the Port of Tacoma Endowed Chair for the University of Washington Tacoma at the Center for Urban Waters. Learn more about the Summit Awards online at http://www.portoftacoma.com/summits .

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Register today for Port of Tacoma’s annual breakfast (03/26/12) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=2136831&more=0

Nominate stellar Port of Tacoma customers, tenants for Summit Awards (02/07/12) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=2110881&more=0