We’re going where? After pandemic pause, Tacoma port commission plans overseas trips
.JPG "Mount Rainier looms over the Port of Tacoma, as seen from Commencement Bay, Sept. 26, 2018.")
Port of Tacoma Commission action this week showed a return to one aspect of pre-COVID global outreach.
The commissioners on Thursday spent a portion of their regular meeting deciding on travel for the rest of the year to network and help promote the port in international markets.
In July 2020, staff recommended pausing international travel because of the pandemic and resulting event cancellations.
International travel essentially was on hold until May of this year, when commissioners attended the International Association of Ports and Harbors in Vancouver B.C.
Beyond that, “this is the first opportunity for international travel since the pandemic,” port media representative Carol Bua told The News Tribune via email in response to questions.
Commission president Don Meyer reminded the meeting’s audience that the travel portion of Thursday’s agenda was a routine part of business.
“The commission generally considers international travel twice a year, and this is all part of that. It’s a great way to get visibility for what’s being authorized for the commission to attend,” he said.
The trips the commission considered Thursday include the International Propeller Club Conference, involving 72 clubs from ports worldwide “dedicated to news and developments, opportunities, challenges and concerns related to the future of global shipping.”
The event will take place Sept. 19-23 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Athens, Greece.
The other trip is a trade mission organized by the World Trade Center of Tacoma visiting three cities each in Taiwan and Vietnam, Oct. 23-Nov. 3.
The trip’s listed purpose is to connect “port representatives, university executives and private business representatives to business opportunities in Taiwan and Vietnam,” noting that the trip “will be tailored to the participants.”
Travel for both was approved by four of the five commissioners, but not without some conversation about the Athens trip.
“I’ve been involved with the Propeller Club,” Commissioner Dick Marzano said. ”But I cannot recall any of us ever going internationally to a Propeller Club convention. So I’m just curious as why this one is so important.”
Meyer pointed to encouragement from local club members, seeing value for port commission members to go and represent the port.
“They wanted to encourage it. In fact, that’s been a big rub that the Port of Tacoma hasn’t gone to any of these in the past ... because they’re expensive,” he added. “I can’t speak to the idea that this one is going to be that much different than the previous ones, Commissioner Marzano, but I can say we’ve been encouraged to participate at this stage of the game ...”
Commission vice president Deanna Keller also questioned the trip.
“I have some reservations ... and I go to all the Propeller Club things and I love our local Propeller Club and what they do, but I just think, you know, I would almost rather reserve that kind of funding,” she said, for the other proposed items — the trade mission trip and international customer visits.
Commissioner John McCarthy voiced support for the club and “was impressed” with their level of involvement in maritime issues covered in their recent newsletter.
Marzano was the single no vote as the trade mission, the Athens trip and international customer visits were all approved in one motion.
Public debate over such trips isn’t unusual for the commission, with some memorable interactions over past proposals.
In 2016, a proposed trip to Cuba for then-Commissioner Connie Bacon to represent the port featured Alaska Airlines’ inaugural commercial flight to Havana.. Bacon was to travel with Port of Seattle Commission members and that port’s former CEO, Ted Fick (who resigned a year later) among others.
The Tacoma commission at that time voted 4-1 to approve the trip, with then-Commissioner Don Johnson voting no, labeling it “an absolute boondoggle.” Bacon defended the trip, saying it would provide valuable business contacts perhaps not immediately apparent, The News Tribune reported.
“I wouldn’t be sitting in an airplane for 20 hours over three days if I didn’t think it was worth it,” Bacon said in 2016.
On Thursday, Marzano called on members to become more active with the local Propeller Club chapter.
“I’d just like to see us participate a little bit more,” he said. “Also, we have several memberships that we pay for through the Port of Tacoma. And it gets a little embarrassing when there’s only one or two of us there at a special event. So just something to think of.”
Funding for the commission’s travel is through its travel budget. Cost for the two trips approved Thursday will not be set until attendees are decided and booking arrangements made, according to Bua.
Thursday’s meeting was held virtually out of caution for a recent COVID exposure involving unidentified meeting participants.
This story was originally published June 17, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
