Tacoma signs terminal MOI with Puyallap tribe

Under the MOI, the Port will enter into a preferential use and operating agreement with SSA Marine for the use of a 1,200 ft berth and 20 acres of back-up land area. The Port and the Tribe will exchange land to improve the overall layout of the future Tribe/SSA Marine terminal and other future developments. The Port will sell about 18 acres to the Tribe, and about 12 acres of tribal property will be dredged and put to marine terminal use.

In addition, the Port and SSA Marine will cooperate on the widening of the Blair Waterway to improve navigational safety and operational efficiencies of the terminals located there. The goal is to finalise the agreement by the end of March 2008, so that it can be presented to the Puyallup Tribal Council, Marine View Ventures, the Port Commission and SSA Marine for review and consideration for approval in April.

“This is a big step forward for the future development of our entire community,” said Commission President Dick Marzano. “The Port and the Tribe have both made tremendous strides in the past by working together. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done in finalising the components of a comprehensive agreement, but by continuing to work together, we will get there.”