The Port received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its 2024 financial report.

This award recognizes governments that go beyond minimum accounting requirements to produce reports demonstrating transparency and full disclosure. The Port has received this recognition annually since 1992.

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded $14 million in funding across eleven recipients—four public and seven private—including Bellingham Cold Storage (BCS), operated by Lineage.

BCS received $1,550,000 for cargo-handling equipment, including nine drayage chassis, top pick machines, and a shrink-wrapping system. The Port provided a letter of support for the application, backing continued investment in local maritime jobs and freight capacity.

The Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC) will begin its annual “Spring Refresh” of the Waterfront Bike Park in April and May to maintain safety and rideability.

Volunteer work will include repairing winter erosion, reshaping features, and upgrading some dirt jumps with wood lips for improved durability and performance. WMBC may also stage small stockpiles of dirt onsite to support maintenance, with no plans to expand the park’s current footprint.

The Port submitted $33.5 million in Remedial Action Grant applications to the Washington State Department of Ecology for the 2027–2029 biennium. These grants are funded through the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), the state’s primary source for environmental cleanup funding.

The applications support cleanup work at four sites in Bellingham and Blaine and align with Commission priorities, including the BST rail project, inner harbor modernization, and industrial investment in Blaine. Funding decisions will be part of the upcoming state budget process, where availability may be limited.

The first of two container cranes at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal (BST) has been disassembled by Nordholm Companies, with the process taking approximately eight weeks.

Work on the second crane is expected to move more quickly. Nordholm has also confirmed plans to bring three additional, smaller cranes from the Port of Seattle for disassembly, with arrival anticipated the week of April 20.

The Port submitted a $2.8 million Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request to support development of a fuel dock in Blaine Harbor. Funding decisions are expected as part of the federal budget process in early 2027.

If awarded, the project would support commercial fishing and maritime operations and could be constructed alongside the Westman Marine cleanup and redevelopment. The request is supported by local fishing and maritime businesses, including the Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County.

The Port submitted a $4 million Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) request to support the first phase of an international arrivals terminal at Bellingham International Airport (BLI). Funding decisions are expected as part of the federal budget process in early 2027.

If awarded, Phase I would prepare the terminal for international service and advance design for the full project, supporting future federal funding for Phase II, including Foreign Inspection Service facilities for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to conduct inspections for international passenger arrivals. The request is supported by regional partners in tourism, transportation, and economic development.

Port staff have completed a lighting upgrade inside the Bellingham International Airport (BLI) terminal, replacing approximately 3,000 fixtures and bulbs with energy-efficient LED lighting.

Combined with the rooftop solar installation, the terminal now meets requirements under the Washington State Clean Buildings Act, reducing overall energy demand in the facility.

A Florida company was awarded a $714.5 million contract to build three new hybrid-electric Washington State Ferries—the first time in more than 50 years that new state ferries will be constructed out of state.

In response, the Port is joining a coalition of Washington ports to examine challenges affecting maritime manufacturing competitiveness, including workforce, cost, and regulatory factors, and to develop strategies to strengthen the state’s shipbuilding and repair industry.