Commissioner Tarleton selected as Maritime Industry Public Official of the Year

Port Commission President Gael Tarleton received the Maritime Industry Public Official of the Year Award at the annual Seattle Maritime Festival Luncheon, where organizations, industries, and businesses active on Seattle’s working waterfront select winners in several categories.

“Gael digs into the issue, demands facts, becomes fully informed and then takes a position. And, importantly she then follows up with advocacy, leadership and action,” said Mike Moore, President of the Seattle chapter of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association when announcing the award. “This kind of leadership is essential to the maritime sector.”

Other award categories included the Marine Environmental Business of the Year, and the Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award.

For comprehensive environmental management programs, APL is the winner for accomplishments that include developing and implementing a corporate wide 30 percent carbon reduction strategy. For environmental initiatives, the Port of Seattle’s Marine Maintenance won for finding alternative methods for cleaning docks without disturbing water or marine life on port property, in efforts at cleaning and capturing water and sediment.

Captain Chris Woodley of the U.S. Coast Guard won the Puget Sound Maritime Achievement Award for his years of service at Sector Puget Sound, where he was instrumental in creating new standards of vessel safety for fishing boats working the Alaska market.