Port policies are determined by a five member Board of Commissioners who are elected at large by the voters of King County, Washington.
The Port comprises two divisions (Aviation and Marine) and several professional and technical service departments. The Marine Division is responsible for a diverse network of facilities (Figure 2), which includes twenty commercial marine terminals (including six container terminals), two on-dock intermodal rail facilities, and a 150 acre breakbulk/neobulk complex with approximately 202,000 square feet of cold storage. The Marine Division also owns and operates Fisherman's Terminal, a 1,500-berth pleasure boat marina at Shilshole Bay on Puget Sound, and the Bell Street Pier portion of the Central Waterfront Project.
The Aviation Division is responsible for the operation of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The professional and technical services departments that support the two operating divisions include finance and accounting, human resources, information technology, facilities development and management, and engineering.
2. Stevedoring Services of America / SSA Terminals/T-18 Co.
T18 is currently operated by SSA, which will continue to operate the terminal after expansion pursuant to the terms of the Terminal 18 Lease. A privately owned corporation, SSA and its affiliated companies are collectively the largest stevedoring and terminal operator in the United States and by some measures, the largest in the world, with more than 100 years of experience in marine terminal, stevedoring, and rail yard operations. Because SSA is privately owned, there is limited public information available concerning its operation history, finances, and business plans.
