Dear Editor:
I must take issue with Susan Crisfield, who said that Portland cannot operate as a deep-water port because it is 100 miles inland ("Evergreen will halt Portland operations," 1/24/01).
Portland’s sesquicentennial birthday reminds us of the century-and-a-half connection between the river and our economy, culture and quality-of-life. Portland has been a deep-water port since the Oregon Legislature formed the Port of Portland in 1891 to open and maintain a navigable shipping channel to the sea. As a child, I remember my father taking me to Terminal 1 to meet the captain of one of the ships that brought our cargo from Japan.
As a teenager, I helped unload ocean-going, 40-foot containers of dishes into our warehouse in Old Town. Ships have grown substantially in size since then. The Port of Portland has proposed deepening the Columbia’s 40-foot-deep navigation channel another three feet to accommodate these newer, larger vessels.
The most efficient means of moving cargo is on water, which may explain why there are so many "inland" seaports like Portland. Montreal--nearly 1,000 miles from the Atlantic, and Philadelphia--100 miles inland, both are major seaports. Baton Rouge--197 miles from the Gulf, and New Orleans--at 70 miles away, also accommodate large ocean-going vessels. Many other inland ocean ports exist in North America and around the world, including Hamburg, Germany--75 miles inland on the Elbe River; Antwerp, Belgium--42 miles inland on the Shelde; and Manaus, Brazil--1,063 miles inland on the Amazon.
Whether it's importing footwear or exporting wheat, Portland's economy is vitally dependent on access to world markets. The loss of Evergreen Marine should serve as a wake-up call. Portland must preserve its role as a deep-water seaport.
Sincerely,
Bob Naito
123 NW Second, Suite 200
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-0272
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