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8 CapitalPress.com January 26, 2018 Report: Terminal needs to diversify ODA accepting Port of Portland’s Terminal 6 unlikely to survive as dedicated container facility By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press The Port of Portland’s container facility must di- versify since it’s unlikely to become self-sustaining by focusing solely on handling containers, according to a consultant’s report. To break even financially, the port’s Terminal 6 would need to move nearly 200,000 containers a year — more than the facility ever handled even during its heyday, the report said. By bringing in addition- al business lines that would subsidize container opera- tions, the facility could reach breakeven by moving fewer than 150,000 containers a year. “It’s got to be a part of a bigger entity and supported by the other activities the port is involved in,” said No- lan Gimpel, project manager for the Advisian consulting company, which prepared the report. Photo by Carrie Stark Capital Press File A container ship is loaded at the Port of Portland Terminal 6 facility in this file photo. A new report says the container facility needs to diversify its function to survive. Agricultural exporters once relied on the contain- er terminal to get straw and other farm goods shipped to Asia, but ocean carriers stopped calling on the facil- ity in 2015 and 2016 due to labor productivity problems. The Port of Portland has since mended its relation- ship with the longshoremen’s union, which it hopes will improve productivity, but other challenges remain for- midable. Terminal 6 regularly han- dled more than 150,000 con- tainers during the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the ship- ping industry has changed dramatically in recent years, Advisian’s report said. Most newly built contain- er ships are too large to serve the inland port, while ocean carriers have consolidated and are reluctant to travel the added distance to Terminal 6, Gimpel said during a meeting of Port of Portland’s commis- sion. Three major “alliances” of ocean carrier companies now control about 87 percent of the trans-Pacific Ocean container market, he said. The port should try to part- ner with one of the smaller independent companies that control the remaining 13 per- cent, since they’re able to fill a niche and make decisions more quickly, Gimpel said. “To get to sustainability is going to take a while, and it’s not an easy task,” he said. The Port of Portland ex- pects to know within three years whether Terminal 6 can remain competitive or wheth- er the market passed it by, said Keith Leavitt, the port’s chief commercial officer. There are opportunities to create new business at the container terminal, such as facilitating trade between North and South America, which typically relies on smaller ships than trans-Pa- cific trade, Leavitt said. “We should be able to compete for those,” he said. “Those vessels are a good fit for the Columbia River.” Handling “break bulk” car- go, such as imported steel slabs from Russia that aren’t con- tainerized, is another potential business line, Leavitt said. Ves- sels that carry such slabs don’t require as deep a draft as larger container vessels. The facility will soon be serviced by ocean vessels from Swire, which will han- dle trucks and break bulk car- go, and it’s already opened a transmodal truck-to-rail fa- cility that ships export prod- ucts to Puget Sound ports. Adding new business ventures to the 420-acre Ter- minal 6 won’t require major capital investment, Leavitt said. proposals for 2018 specialty crop block grant program Up to $1.5 million may be available By GEORGE PLAVEN Capital Press The Oregon Department of Agriculture is seeking pro- posals for innovative projects as part of the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program for 2018. Applications are due by noon on Thursday, Feb. 27. Approximately $1.5 million is expected to be available for groups statewide includ- ing processors, commodity commissions, industry asso- ciations, nonprofits and local governments. Oregon ranks among the top 10 states in production of specialty crops, which are defined as commonly recog- nized fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and nursery plants. Last year, 45 applica- tions were submitted to the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program totaling $4.4 million. Out of those, $1.7 million was awarded to 15 groups. Funding priorities for the program include food safety compliance and traceability, certification programs, on- farm labor needs, training the next generation of farmers and marketing exports. A 14-member industry ad- visory committee will eval- uate each proposal in June and make recommendations to ODA Director Alexis Tay- lor on top-ranked projects. Selected applicants will be submitted to the USDA, and projects chosen to receive funding will be announced by November. There is a selected funding range of $25,000 to $175,000, and a project timeline of up to 2 1/2 years. Matching funding is not required, but highly en- couraged. More information and di- rections on submitting pro- posals are available by calling the ODA Agriculture Devel- opment and Marketing Pro- gram at 503-986-4620, or vis- iting www.oregon.gov/oda. 4-H members learn about safe, responsible handling and use of their equipment under the direct supervision of highly trained 4-H volunteer instructors in the shooting sports program. Whether it be the “report” from a rifle or a “thud” as an arrow strikes the target butt, increasing numbers of Idaho youth are discovering the excitement of participating in one of Idaho’s fastest growing 4-H programs — shooting sports. While to the casual observer it may seem the focus is only on scores members achieve, extension personnel and volunteer instructors know it is about so much more. “Through shooting sports, we utilize firearms and archery equipment as tools to teach essential life skills and foster positive youth development,” said Jim Wilson, Idaho 4-H Shooting Sports coordinator. All members learn about safe, responsible handling and use of their equipment, under the direct supervision of highly trained 4-H volunteer instructors. The self-confidence, personal discipline, responsibility, teamwork and sportsmanship youth acquire carry over into other aspects of their lives. Youth can choose from a variety of discipline areas, ranging from archery, hunting and muzzleloader to pistol, rifle, shotgun or the newest addition — western heritage. There are compound and recurve divisions within archery plus air and small-bore divisions in both pistol and rifle. There is an option for any youth age 8 to 18, whether they live in a city or rural area. “In the past two years, we have seen an 18 percent growth in Idaho’s 4-H shooting sports youth enrollment, to nearly 1,150 members,” said Wilson. “Our goal is to reach over 2,000 youth by 2021.” To do so, extension personnel will need to recruit, screen and help train local 4-H volunteer instructors, who in turn work directly with youth in their communities. “Whether you are a local adult with a personal interest in one of our discipline areas and are willing to share that passion with youth, or if you are a youth seeking to get involved in 4-H, please contact your local extension office promptly,” Wilson noted. “If unable to find that information, contact me at jwilson@uidaho.edu for assistance.” As part of their program expansion effort, funding is available to help counties put on area or district matches and educational events. In addition, the 2017 Idaho 4-H State Shoot expanded to include archery, hunting, rifle and shotgun events; youth participation nearly doubled. As a result, four teams will be advancing to represent Idaho at the 2018 National 4-H Shooting Sports Championships, June 19-24 in Grand Island, Nebraska. “Great opportunities await youth and adults within the Idaho 4-H Shooting Sports program,” he said. “We welcome you to join us in 2018.” For more information, contact Jim Wilson at tel: (208) 292-1401 or jwilson@uidaho.edu . 4-2/HOU