Port of Seattle OKs cruise terminal transfer

Port of Seattle OKs cruise terminal transfer The Port of Seattle Commission on Friday approved a $118 million project to move the port's cruise operations to increase its container handling capacity.
   The project will transfer the Washington port's cruise operations from Terminal 30 to Pier 91 on the north side of Elliott Bay. The port said that returning the 32-acre Terminal 30 to use as a container facility will create a 70-acre container handling complex that includes Terminal 25 and Terminal 28 and adds one vessel berth.
   Seattle's container volumes grew by nearly 40 percent from 2003 to 2005, and while volumes were down slightly in 2006, additional growth of about 8 percent annually is expected in the coming years.
   'Recent and anticipated growth in the port's container shipping business is driving this project,' said Mick Dinsmore, the Port of Seattle's outgoing chief executive officer.
   Dinsmore is leaving the port in March after 15 years as its CEO to join Milwaukee, Wis.-based Stark Investments as president of its infrastructure investment division.