Item No.
Date of Meeting

3b attach
July 23, 2019

Maritime Blue/Port of Seattle Partnership
Advancing Washington State's Maritime Industry

Maritime Innovation Initiative Progress
 Update Business Plan
 Form advisory group
 Commission authorization for
Ship Supply building design work
 Develop MOU with WA State
 Develop virtual incubator and
accelerator

Substantial progress since January

"The challenging times in all port related
markets, like logistics, oil and gas, and
maritime, require that we have a window on
new technologies. [The] PortXL [Maritime
Accelerator] helped us identify these
trends, bringing new business models to
our markets and challenging conventional
businesses."
Paul Smits
CFO, Port of Rotterdam

2

Formalizing Alliance to Advance Maritime Blue Strategy
• Seeking Commission authorization for Executive Director to
execute the Maritime Blue Partnership Memorandum of
Understanding between Washington Maritime Blue, a
Washington 501 c6 nonprofit organization, and the Port of
Seattle
• Memorandum identifies areas of cooperative interest and has
POS and Maritime Blue establish annual priorities and specific
work plans

3

Maritime Blue Strategy: Pathways and Initiatives

4

What Does a Cluster Organization do?
General cluster development

Innovation collaboration

Knowledge collaboration

• Networking activities

• Set research priorities

• R&D and education initiatives

• Facilitate collaboration

• Facilitate funding / financing

• Build international relationships

• Strengthen the knowledge base

• Accelerate tech development

• Direct Advisory services'

• Improve practices and efficiency

• Joint industry projects

• Attract investors and talent

'

• Communications and marketing
• Drive commercialization
• Connect to education and training
• Advocacy and awareness

5

Memorandum of Understanding Details
• Will underpin the specific collaboration needed to advance the
Maritime Blue plan.
• As part of the MOU, the Port and Maritime Blue will establish
annual work plans
• These plans will include goals, metrics, outcomes and funding
needed to successfully support maritime accelerator initiatives,
workforce training programs and a host of other Maritime Blue
initiatives
- Pending contract between Port and Maritime Blue will further
delineate priorities, resources and desired outcomes
6