The Ship Report

The big maritime news locally this week is the announcement by the Port of Portland that they will end container ship service to the Port's Terminal 6 as of October 1. The decision will mean the Columbia River will no longer have container service, since Portland is the only port with the infrastructure and equipment to handle containers.

Portland has gained and lost container service over the past two decades. The most recent round of container service began during the pandemic, when the Port of Portland served as a overflow port for overcrowded ports on the West Coast. The service has continued with several container ships per week transiting the river.

According to this week's news reports, that service will cease at the end of September. The hope is that this will only be temporary.

The pricey maritime law of "general average"

There's an ancient tenet of maritime law that is cropping up in reports about the catastrophe in Baltimore harbor with the containership Dali. It's called "general average," and it has to do with who pays when a ship runs into expensive trouble during a voyage.

This law can force those customers whose cargo is on the ship to help pay for the cost of the disaster. Mostly it ends up being a complex negotiation between many insurance companies, but it could be an expensive caveat for small businesses who may not have insured their cargo sufficiently.

USCG rescue swimmer interview: epilogue

The final episode in our series on the work of USCG rescue swimmers.

Rescue swimmer interview continues

This week we're hearing excerpts from an interview I did with a USCG rescue swimmer based at Air Station Astoria.

Rescue Swimmer Interview, continued

More from a fascinating interview with a Coast Guard rescue swimmer from Air Station Astoria.

More about USCG rescue swimmers

Another episode about rescue swimmers and their demanding work.

USCG Rescue Swimmers

A look back in the Ship Report archives at an interview I did with a USCG swimmer, while I recover from a nasty cold.

A look at Baltmore's salvage efforts, and big ships on our river

Unusual ships on the river today, and possibly the return of a familiar ship to Astoria.

And a bit of good news about the American Empress, the paddlewheel cruise ship that used to be at Astoria's 17th St. dock until her company folded. Another company has bought her and she may be back.

Car manufacturing: a global phenomenon

Answering a listener question about a car carrier with Toyotas headed for the Port of Portland. Today we'll talk about the many countries in which familiar autos brands are manufactured, including vehicles from American companies.

These days our cars, and the parts that comprise them, are made around the world. It's part of our global economy.