The Port of Bellingham has secured $23.5 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to rebuild the aging North Pier at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, a long-sought investment that port officials say will double the pier's load capacity and put more family-wage maritime jobs within reach for Whatcom County workers. U.S. Representative Rick Larsen announced the award on July 1, capping a funding push that drew support from both of Washington's senators.
The money comes through the federal BUILD program, a competitive national grant pool run by the U.S. Department of Transportation that funds road, rail, transit and port projects with regional economic significance. Ports across the country compete for the same dollars every cycle, and a $23.5 million award for a community the size of Bellingham is a significant win.
What the North Pier Project Includes
The grant funds Phase 2 of the North Pier Rehabilitation project at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, the deep-water cargo facility on Bellingham's central waterfront. The work covers three big pieces: rebuilding the aging pier structure itself, doubling its load capacity so heavier cargo and equipment can move across it, and upgrading the mooring system that secures the ships that call there.
That last piece matters more than it might sound. A modern mooring system lets the terminal safely handle larger vessels, and load capacity is often the limiting factor on what kinds of cargo a terminal can bid for. Together, the upgrades are designed to move the Bellingham Shipping Terminal from a facility constrained by its own dock to one that can compete for modern cargo business.
Bellingham holds a card that few Washington communities can play: it is home to one of only 11 deep-water ports in the state. Deep water close to shore means large oceangoing vessels can berth without the dredging and distance constraints that limit shallower harbors, an advantage that has anchored the working waterfront here for generations.
Why It Matters for Whatcom County Jobs
In a letter supporting the project, Senator Maria Cantwell's office estimated the upgraded pier would create work for 48 additional longshore workers per shift and generate roughly $12 million in annual economic impact for Whatcom County. Longshore positions are among the better-paying blue-collar jobs on the waterfront, and shifts that add dozens of workers ripple outward to trucking, warehousing, ship services and the businesses that feed and supply all of them.
Port Commission President Michael Shepard called the award "a major milestone in our long-term effort to modernize the Bellingham Shipping Terminal." The Port of Bellingham has been working for years to bring more cargo activity back to the terminal, and commissioners have consistently pointed to the aging North Pier as the bottleneck holding that effort back.
The timing carries some local weight. The same week the grant was announced, one of Bellingham's longest-running manufacturers confirmed it will close its doors this fall, with 75 layoffs coming to Alpha Technologies on Alpha Way. A pier project that expands family-wage work on the waterfront lands at a moment when the county's industrial job base could use the boost.
A Working Waterfront Decades in the Making
The Bellingham Shipping Terminal has been part of the city's industrial waterfront for generations, and its fortunes have tracked the broader story of Bellingham's economy: busy midcentury decades, a long slowdown as resource industries contracted, and a patient rebuilding effort over the past two decades as the port redeveloped the waterfront district. Through all of it, the deep-water berth has remained the terminal's core asset, waiting on infrastructure that could put it back to full use.
Phase 1 of the North Pier Rehabilitation laid the groundwork for this moment. With Phase 2 now funded, the port can take the rebuild from planning documents to construction drawings, permits and contractors. Representative Larsen, who chairs Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and has represented Bellingham in Congress since 2001, has made port infrastructure a recurring priority for the district; his office's announcement framed the award as an investment in exactly the kind of trade-and-maritime economy Whatcom County is positioned for. More on his transportation work is at larsen.house.gov.
What Happens Next
The port has not yet published a construction timeline for Phase 2, and federal grant awards typically take months of agreements and engineering work before crews appear on the pier. The practical milestones for residents to watch: a signed grant agreement with the Department of Transportation, design and permitting decisions from the Port Commission, and a construction contract award. Port Commission meetings are open to the public, with agendas posted on the port's website.
Once construction begins, expect activity around the Whatcom Waterway and the central waterfront, and expect the port to talk publicly about which cargo lines and customers it is courting for the rebuilt pier. The $12 million annual impact estimate only materializes if ships actually call, so the business development side of the project will be as important as the concrete and steel.
For more information about the terminal and the port's other waterfront projects, visit the Port of Bellingham's website or attend an upcoming commission meeting. The Scoop will follow the project as design and construction dates firm up.
