Kimberly-Clark, Saltchuk can’t close deal for private harbor

   Saltchuk, the parent company of TOTE ocean shipping, announced Wednesday that its tentative deal to purchase a 66-acre waterfront property in Everett, Wash., from Kimberly-Clark fell through.
   The two sides announced the deal in October, but were unable to agree on the allocation of risks and responsibilities related to soil stability, and seismic and environmental conditions at the former pulp mill and tissue plant. Seattle-based Saltchuk planned to redevelop the deepwater facility as a ship yard and terminal for Foss Maritime, a large tug and barge subsidiary that operates in the Pacific Rim. In October, Saltchuk said Foss Maritime’s yard in Seattle, located inside the Ballard Locks, is not accessible to larger ships and is too small for future expansion, making the larger, salt-water site in Everett a more attractive long-term option. 
  The facility would have supported about 250 jobs.
   TOTE operates in the domestic Alaska trade from the Port of Tacoma and in the Puerto Rico trade through its subsidiary Sea Star. It also includes TOTE Logistics and Alaskan trucking company Carlisle Transportation. Saltchuk recently announced the acquisition of Tropical Shipping, which serves the Bahamas and the Caribbean.