Port of Bellingham announces 2025 plans, including waterfront projects and adding airlines
The Port of Bellingham has announced its 2025 operating budget and which future projects will use the funds.
The Port has a few projects already in the works that follow its mission to “promote sustainable economic development, optimize transportation gateways and manage publicly owned land and facilities to benefit Whatcom County,” according to a news release.
The Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners has adopted a $36.7 million budget for 2025, including $12.4 million in state and federal grants.
The $36.7 million budget will be used to fund projects at Bellingham International Airport, Bellingham Shipping Terminal, Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park and more.
At Bellingham International Airport, funds will be used to recruit new airlines and work with existing carriers to increase services, after the airport face a “large decrease in operations revenues cause by Southwest Airlines leaving.” The airport will also begin building an international arrivals terminal to bring in flights from Mexico and Central America, the news release states.
“Highlights of the Port’s 2025 budget include the continuation of large capital projects at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal. The Port is engaged in a multi-year effort to modernize the Bellingham Shipping Terminal which includes removing historic contamination, restoring navigation depth, electrifying the terminal for next-generation ships and clean air, rehabilitating the main dock to support heavy cargo and equipment, and installing state-of-the-art environmental controls to protect Puget Sound. The Port will also build a grant-funded portable barge ramp at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal in 2025 and begin designing a direct rail connection to the BNSF mainline,” according to the news release.
The Port will also use funds to upgrade stormwater systems at Fairhaven Marine Industrial Park to increase waterfront jobs, clean water and improve the coast.
About $4.5 million of the budget will be used to “support the Economic Development, Community Connections and Infrastructure Divisions, including the replacement of an aging observation tank at the popular Marine Life Center,” the news release states.
The Port Commission also decided not to raise the Port’s tax levy. “All the Port’s tax revenue is used for public priorities such as Economic Development, infrastructure preservation, the cleanup of environmentally contaminated sites, and parks and open space,” the news release states.
“Property taxes will be levied at an estimated rate of $0.1219 per thousand of assessed value, meaning the annual taxes on a $500,000 home would be approximately $60.95 in 2025.”
The final 2025 Port budget will be posted on the Port’s website after it is filed with the county on Monday, Dec. 2.
This story was originally published November 24, 2024 at 12:50 PM.
