James McKenna, President and CEO of Pacific Maritime Association (PMA), will be the featured speaker at Pacific Transportation Association’s Annual Ports and Terminals Luncheon. The event takes place on May 7 at Scott’s Restaurant in Oakland’s Jack London Square.
As president of the San Francisco-based PMA, McKenna directs the association’s principal business activity of negotiating and administering maritime labor agreements with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) on the west coast. He also oversees all operations, including the administration of payroll, benefits, and pension, and the training of the ILWU workforce and PMA staff. Prior to joining PMA in July 2003, McKenna was Chief Operating Officer at Horizon Lines (formerly CSX). He has nearly 30 years of domestic and international maritime industry experience that includes vessel operations, procurement, terminal operations, and labor relations activities. For more details, see www.pacifictrans.org.
SFO Logistics Center Upgrade on Tap
Bay Area shippers are bullish on the SFO Logistics Center. Centrum Properties has initiated plans for a $23 million upgrade and modernization of the SFO Logistics Center in South San Francisco that will transform what is already a sought-after commercial facility into the premier warehouse distribution center on the Peninsula.
According to Michael McLean, vice president for development of Centrum Properties, there’s evidence that even in today’s challenging economy, good investment opportunities are available in communities like South San Francisco. “We continue to see value in this project and the California real estate market in general,” he said.
The 572,000 square-foot site has served as a warehouse and distribution facility for the General Services Administration, the U.S. Postal Service and other federal government agencies for the past 60 years.
Renovations are expected to begin this summer. During this time, Centrum will continue to offer leasing opportunities to tenants. The project will be completed and available for lease by new tenants in October 2009. Improvements to the site will include seismic safety updates, infrastructure enhancements, tenant upgrades and installation of new buildings.
Centrum Properties and its equity partner, Angelo, Gordon & Co., purchased the property for $36.5 million from the General Services Agency in August 2008. The San Francisco office of Holiday Fenoglio Fowler, led by Peter Smyslowski, arranged funding for the deal.
Cruise Vessels Serviced at S.F. Port
Meanwhile, other signs of life seem to be surfacing elsewhere on the commercial waterfront. The Port of San Francisco’s maritime marketing manager, Gerry Roybal, has stated that there’s been a recent surge of activity at Pier 70, where cruise vessels have come in for repair. In recent months at least three Carnival Cruise vessels have been serviced at the dry dock, providing hundreds of well-paying jobs. BAE Systems runs the dry dock and recently started working with the city-sponsored City Build program, promising to train more locals for the ship-repair industry.
Coast Guard Approves Cal Maritime Course
The U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center, through Det Norske Veritas, has approved a Vessel Security Officer (VSO) Refresher Course developed by The California Maritime Academy, a part of the California State University. The course, offered through Cal Maritime’s Sponsored Projects and Extended Learning (SPEL) Department, provides a refresher curriculum for maritime security personnel and is designed to facilitate the transition to the USCG mandatory training for Vessel Security Officers.
Cal Maritime is one of a select few training organizations in the country delivering Maritime Security Courses certified by the Coast Guard, The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These courses meet the requirements of the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS), and State and Federal emergency management standards. As such, the courses are eligible for DHS grant reimbursement under the Homeland Security and Port Security Grant programs.
Navy to Send Only One Ship to Fleet Week
San Francisco’s Fleet Week will feature far fewer U.S. Navy vessels when it is staged next October. Published reports indicate that only one ship will be sent by the San Diego-based Third Fleet. Cost-cutting and other budgetary constraints are to blame, said spokesmen. The Navy’s “Blue Angels,” however, will be arriving in full force, and local shipping associations will be staging events to coincide with the celebration.
