When you’re a key part of the fresh food pipeline — whether that food comes from the Puget Sound region or from all the way up in Alaska — industry collaborations are key.
To be most efficient and provide the best possible service to food-producing customers, Bellingham Cold Storage works with some of the top transportation companies in the shipping and logistics industry.
Seattle-based Coastal Transportation is one great example. Its massive fifth vessel, the Coastal Standard, stops often at our 1,000-foot deep-water pier, which is located at the Port of Bellingham.
Built in Anacortes in 2015, the vessel is essentially a floating, fast-moving cold storage facility, with 125,000 cubic feet of capacity.
Connecting Alaska food producers with Puget Sound ports
Together, Bellingham Cold Storage and Coastal Transportation help customers ship seafood from Alaska, such as King crab and a variety of fish, to dining tables around the world.
Since 1984, Coastal Transportation has carved out a niche connecting Alaska food producers directly to Puget Sound ports, including those in Bellingham, Seattle and beyond.
As Coastal Transportation’s fleet grows — and as Port of Seattle shipping traffic worsens — the appeal of the Port of Bellingham as a product conduit is increasing. Coastal Transportation now operates a year-round schedule, with biweekly service to the Bellingham Cold Storage.
The Port of Bellingham is a logistical asset for the seafood industry
The collaboration between Bellingham Cold Storage and Coastal Transportation is proving to be a logistical asset to those who ship seafood from Alaska and also send Puget Sound products northward in return.
BCS customers have benefited from Coastal Transportation’s increased activity at the Port of Bellingham. They’re seeing more pollock across the dock, which is then shipping out via Bellingham Cold Storage’s on-site rail service.
In the summer of 2018, new seafood customers in Southeast Alaska signed on with Coastal Transportation to facilitate their fresh sales. The Coastal Standard makes the trip from Sitka, Alaska, to Bellingham, Washington in just 36 hours!
Because Bellingham Cold Storage has facilities located immediately adjacent to the pier, warehouse logistical experts are able to help the Coastal Standard quickly and efficiently transfer seafood from ship to cold storage.
When seafood arrives at BCS, there are two on-site custom processors to handle it: Homeport Seafoods and QSea Specialty Services. Both can manage fresh packaging and fresh and frozen re-processing.
Shipping to and from Alaska
Coastal has a number of methods of picking up products: at your facility, alongside your vessel with their cargo gear in your hold, or from Coastal Transportation’s brand-new, 4,000-metric-ton cold storage facility in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
Coastal Transportation also is a wonderful option for northbound cargo needs – from Puget Sound to Alaska. The company ships a wide range of products, including seafood processing supplies and materials, pallet boards, groceries, household items, building materials and even automobiles.
Award-winning logistical partner
Bellingham Cold Storage is thankful for Coastal Transportation and their mutually beneficial collaboration. They provide a logistical solution for many Alaskan fishermen and food producers. With that in mind, Bellingham Cold Storage presented Coastal Transportation with an Outstanding Logistics Partner Award in June 2018.