Coast River Business Journal
BUSINESS NEWS
Vessel deconstruction nears reality
Ilwaco facility will bust old boats in new year
Story by Luke Whittaker
Coast River Business Journal
lwhittaker@crbizjournal.com
As a new vessel deconstruction facility
nears completion in Ilwaco, Coast River Business
Journal spoke with Ilwaco and Chinook Port
Manager Guy Glenn Jr. regarding the progress of
the project.
What impact will a vessel deconstruction facility
in Ilwaco have on the port and community?
“Investing in this new facility and related
infrastructure adds to the capacity of the Port of
Ilwaco to serve the ongoing needs of the maritime
and fishing industries. The building will provide
a valuable indoor workspace for either vessel
deconstruction or vessel maintenance and repair.
“We currently have five indoor work bays
in operation in our boatyard. The size of our new
indoor deconstruction facility is much larger
than our other work bays in our boatyard. The
new facility has a 34-foot-wide door and 30-foot
height clearance. Our existing indoor work bays
are about 24 feet wide and have a 23-foot height
clearance. We can accommodate vessels up to 18
feet wide with our existing haul-out facility.
“The width of the new vessel deconstruction
facility allows for more work space around the
vessel, including bringing equipment indoors
right beside the vessel for repair, maintenance
and deconstruction work. The additional height
of the building should allow for small cranes or
other types of mobile equipment to come indoors
to assist with a project.
“Investing in our boatyard infrastructure
allows us to provide facilities and services to
our marina customers in addition to other vessel
owners in the region. Roughly 60% of our boatyard
users are from outside Pacific County. The Port
of Ilwaco provides the only public boatyard on
the Pacific Coast of Washington state. Having an
operating boatyard greatly adds to the value of our
full-service marina and benefits all of our upland
businesses operating at the port.
“Many visitors to our community are also
attracted to our working waterfront, including the
opportunity to see vessels being hauled out and
worked on in our boatyard.
“Investments in the vessel deconstruction
facility, along with investments in a new Marine
Travelift, new pressure wash water pre-treatment
filtration system, enhanced stormwater system and
grading and leveling our work yard all provide
long term value for our community. With support
from the state of Washington and Pacific County,
the port has been able to leverage our locally
generated dollars roughly on a two to one basis
to complete these extensive investments in our
boatyard facility. None of these improvements
could have been made without grant funding,
November 2020 • 9
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The facility will provide an outlet for derelict vessels in Pacific County that are unable to be to
be deconstructed at locations in Port Angles and Portland.
made possible with the ongoing support from our
elected officials and a sustained commitment from
our port commission.”
What is the anticipated first day of operation?
“We hope to be able to open the facility as
early as Jan. 1, 2021 for vessel maintenance, repair
and deconstruction activities. The port will lease
the facility directly to boat owners or contractors
to complete their respective projects.”
State supports vessel
deconstruction facility
The roughly 6,000-square-foot pre-
engineered metal building and associated land
occupy about one acre of the 3.5-acre former
boatyard. The facility will perform vessel
deconstruction activities and maintenance while
providing sufficient space to receive worn out
boats from around the region and store equipment.
An estimated 15 jobs will be created in Ilwaco for
the facility. West Coast Vessel Recycling will be
responsible for boat deconstruction.
The new facility is part of a $3.5 million
package of DNR-sponsored projects announced
by Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz
in spring 2019. The investment includes $600,000
for building the enclosed deconstruction facility,
$250,000 to replace the port’s storm water system
and $100,000 for paving and regrading work that
will help protect water quality. The project is
part of Franz’s Rural Communities Partnership
Initiative, an effort to help leaders in rural areas
with economic development.
A need to dispose of derelict
vessels
The facility will provide an outlet for derelict
vessels in Pacific County that are unable to be
deconstructed at in Port Angles and Portland.
“There isn’t one for a long way,” said Troy
Wood, derelict vessels removal program manager
for the DNR.
Derelict vessels often contain large quantities
of oil, lead, asbestos or other toxic substances that
could pose a threat to animals and the environment.
If leaked or leached, these can injure or kill marine
mammals, waterfowl and other aquatic life, and
contaminate aquatic lands, nearby shorelines and
water.
According to the Washington State
Department of Natural Resources, there are about
150 vessels in the state that are candidates for
recycling, and the Ilwaco facility could serve as
a beacon for boats approaching their final call to
port. Some of the derelict vessels lining the Port
of Ilwaco’s storage yard could be among the first
processed by the new operation, depending on
available funds and their respective environmental
impact.
Nikki and the business services team can
help you determine the best financing to
meet the needs of your business, and can
help you obtain that financing at very
competitive rates and fees.
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