By Morf Morford

Tacoma Daily Index

Most cities have a semi-regular shape; something approximating a square or circular, semi-proportional geographic space.

Not Tacoma.

Tacoma’s irregular, if not convoluted, shape is in response to its most defining feature – the Port of Tacoma.

The Port of Tacoma does far more than shape Tacoma’s topography.

As, for many years, if not decades, one of Tacoma’s largest and most consistent employers, the Port has had a hand in Tacoma’s (and the larger region’s) history, reputation, character and, of course, economy.

And, besides being a pulsing center of our local and regional economy currently, the Port is poised to become an even stronger presence in the future.

Framing and maintaining a facility of that size and scale would never be easy.

And it would not be possible without a set of founding documents that, like our nation’s Constitution, define and document its purpose and reason for being.

The Port’s purposes and vision have changed over the years (more than one hundred of them!) though not by much.

Just recently the Port has established five foundational goals that will guide its priorities through 2026.

Economic Vitality

First is economic vitality.

The word “vitality” of course, refers to being alive, autonomous and independent, self-sustaining and resourceful.

At best, contributing and expanding, and at worst, surviving. As their website puts it;

Advance living-wage job creation and business development opportunities in Pierce County with a focus on marine trade and transportation.

The Port is an economic engine that makes strategic investments to generate jobs and promote vitality for our region

As with everything else in life, one does not get there by wishing it so.

The Port has a variety of strategies to achieve and flesh out these goals. Again, from the Port’s website;

Strategically acquire and develop real estate to support marine trade activity of the Port and The Northwest Seaport Alliance.

Invest in assets that support living-wage job creation throughout Pierce County.

Develop and support land use and infrastructure policies that protect the cargo supply chain and promote a robust employment base.

Partner with regional organizations to facilitate career development and business growth in Pierce County.

Economic health and stability is key for the Port, but it is not everything.

The Port’s influence and continuing impact on our local, regional and even national and global community is far more than financial.

Environmental Leadership

Far beyond the vagaries, and sometimes even mercenary aspects of a purely bottom line, dollars and cents view of the world, the products and the workers of the Port, the lasting, and often vastly out of proportion cost to the environment from fishing runs to community safety must always be a factor in the policies and investments of the Port.

As the Port’s website puts it, the continuing intent is to;

Protect and enhance the environment of Commencement Bay and the Puyallup River by continuing to clean up contaminated land, improve habitat and water quality, and minimize air emissions from Port operations.

Environmental stewardship is integrated into all aspects of the organization, from our development activities to the ongoing operations of the Port and our customers.

To put it bluntly, these have not always been active principles that the Port has held as urgent priorities.

Environmental damage and degradation from previous generations have impacted untold individuals and communities from salmon runs, orca health, property values and personal safety at an uncountable cost.

These considerations will not be cheap – but, as we all know from bitter experience, they will be far cheaper than ignoring or deferring them.

Here are the active strategies the Port is employing in this arena;

Remediate contaminated Port properties in a manner that ensures protection of human health and the environment while enabling economic development.

Reduce the air and climate pollution generated by Port and tenant activities while protecting their operations from the impacts of climate change.

Invest in projects that improve the quality of stormwater runoff from Port properties, embody best practices and empower our tenants to comply with complex permits.

Create wetland opportunities and improve fish habitat independent of regulatory obligation.

Organizational Success

The Port, above all, is a resource, essentially held in trust for the region, in the past and for future generations, and far more than here and far more than now.

People and communities we will never meet depend on what the Port of Tacoma ships out or has delivered.

Rail lines and sea lanes connect us in a web that depends on the functioning of every part.

From soybean and corn farmers in the American mid-West to markets across Asia, the Port of Tacoma in an integral link in a system that literally provides for thousands.

Our success is never just our success.

Our community, and many other communities, rely on our due diligence.

As the Port’s website puts it, the goal is to;

Create and sustain a transparent culture prioritizing the Port’s fiduciary role as trustee of public assets and commitment to financial responsibility.

The Port and its Commission act as trustees for the best management of the public’s assets.

To be successful, the Port must create and sustain a productive and safe work environment, continue to focus on its customers, commit to its strategic direction, and for the sake of efficient and effective performance, embrace sound financial practices and internal alignment.

Transportation Advocacy

All of this can’t happen without a robust and reliable transportation infrastructure.

Transportation, of course, does not happen in a vacuum. Public transit is a key element of keeping goods moving. Getting to and from the Port quickly, efficiently and safely is important for workers, visitors and products.

As in all of its history, the Port is the fulcrum of rails, sea and highways.

As the website puts it, the goal is to;

Promote road, rail and navigation infrastructure and technology improvements to strengthen the regional maritime industry and economy.

Efficient transportation connections and systems for roads, rail and waterways are essential components of a robust economy. The Port collaborates with partner agencies on key transportation projects that support freight mobility needs.

To these ends, the Port has worked to;

Support infrastructure projects that increase Port freight mobility, prioritizing the SR 167 Gateway Project, and the Port of Tacoma Road/I-5 interchange.

Advocate for the transportation infrastructure and system management needs of Port-related businesses in the Tideflats and Pierce County.

Develop criteria and policies to guide decision-making for Port transportation advocacy efforts and to prioritize infrastructure investments.

Develop and maintain an understanding of regional transportation projects that support Port-related mobility.

Community Connections

All of this can only be done with support across all lines of community involvement from tribes to neighborhood groups.

As their website puts it, the goal is to;

Engage and advance relationships with the Pierce County community and beyond in a timely, accessible, and inclusive way.

Building relationships and communicating effectively with people throughout Pierce County is essential to the Port’s continued success. Connecting with our community also helps our residents understand the important role trade and commerce play in the economic vitality of our region.

And the steps to get this done include;

Engage and advance relationships with the Pierce County community and beyond in a timely, accessible, and inclusive way.

Building relationships and communicating effectively with people throughout Pierce County is essential to the Port’s continued success. Connecting with our community also helps our residents understand the important role trade and commerce play in the economic vitality of our region.

In summary then, the Port of Tacoma is an employer, a resource, and perhaps most of all, at its best, a good neighbor.

Keeping those founding, (and future), principles in mind will keep the Port of Tacoma on course for years, if not generations to come.