COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                        Item No.          3b 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting        July 23, 2019 
DATE:     July 9, 2019 
TO:        Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director 
FROM:    David McFadden, Managing Director, Economic Development Division 
SUBJECT:  Maritime  Blue/Maritime  Innovation  Center  Partnership  Memorandum  of
Understanding 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute the Maritime Blue
Partnership Memorandum of Understanding substantially in the form attached between
Washington Maritime Blue, a Washington 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, and the Port of
Seattle to clarify partnership opportunities and responsibilities in implementing Washington
state's Strategy for a Blue Economy. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Staff is working to formalize roles and responsibilities between the Port and Washington
Maritime Blue, the new nonprofit organization charged with implementing Washington sState's
Strategy for the Blue Economy.   This visionary new plan lays out strategies to ensure
Washington Sstate will enjoy a world-class, thriving and sustainable maritime industry by 2050.
Because the plan is long term in nature and lacks specific immediate implementation goals, it
will  be  beneficial  to  formalize  how  the  Port  and  Washington  Maritime  Blue  will  work
collaboratively to implement elements of the broader plan.
Executing a memorandum of understanding between the Port and Washington Maritime Blue
will clarify partnership opportunities and responsibilities and cement a productive relationship
between the two organizations going forward. 
Some areas of mutual interest include 
Development of a maritime innovation center 
Supporting the maritime industry's workforce needs 
Pursuing greenhouse reduction strategies 
The Memorandum of Understanding lays out general areas of cooperation and directs the
partners to develop annual joint programs of work over the next five years. 

Template revised January 10, 2019.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. __3b__                              Page 2 of 4 
Meeting Date: July 23, 2019 

JUSTIFICATION 
In January 2019 Washington State rolled out its new strategy for the Blue Economy.  This
visionary plan to sustain Washington's maritime industry outlines a number of important
initiatives of interest to the Port of Seattle: 
Maritime Blue Goal - Growing Gateways
The plan calls for Port Districts to maintain working waterfronts and help advance efficient,
clean and safe maritime practices. Leveraging new technology, advancing innovative and
efficient regulatory schemes and promoting triple bottom line outcomes can help sustain
Washington's maritime gateways. 

Maritime Blue Goal  Global Innovation Hub 
Washington State has the assets to be a world leader in maritime innovation. The region's
advanced industries (e.g. Information technology) can help drive "Blue Innovation" within the
maritime sector. Whether it's modernizing the seafood industry or advancing new vessel
propulsion technologies, there are opportunities to sustain the maritime industry through
strategic innovation partnerships. The Port's maritime innovation center is called out in the
plan to help spur needed ingenuity by purposely bringing together resources from education,
industry and government.

Maritime Blue Goal  Thriving, Low Carbon Industry 
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions within the maritime industry is a top priority. Developing
low-carbon shore side infrastructure and related strategies for emissions reduction are keys
to sustaining Washington's maritime industries. 

Maritime Blue Goal - 21st Century Workforce 
To ensure the Maritime industry develops a diverse talented workforce for the future, the
Maritime Blue strategy prioritizes key inclusivity and career connected learning initiatives.

Maritime Blue Goal  World-Class Cluster Organization 
To facilitate implementation of the Maritime Blue strategy a new public/private nonprofit
cluster organization (also called Maritime Blue) is advancing regional and statewide efforts: 
The organization is organizing networking opportunities and workshops to advance
research and development and joint industry projects.
The nonprofit is also serving as a conduit for public and private funding opportunities
and working to develop privately capitalized innovation fund.
Maritime Blue is also working with the Port to advance a "virtual maritime

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. __3b__                              Page 3 of 4 
Meeting Date: July 23, 2019 
accelerator" initiative to support innovation and entrepreneurship within the sector 

During the January (2019) Commission briefing on the Maritime Blue strategy several Port of
Seattle Commissioners cited the need to clarify how the Port would partner with the cluster
organization to implement the longer term strategy. The proposed Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) between the Port of Seattle and the new Maritime Blue nonprofit
organization underpins 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. 

Staff is also working with Joshua Berger to define goals, outcomes and resources to support
the partnership over the next year. We are interested in jointly piloting a virtual maritime
accelerator initiative, supporting the maritime innovation center advisory committee, and
advancing events and projects aligned with the Maritime Blue strategy. This initial effort will
be supported by a specific contract with the Maritime Blue Cluster organization. 
ADDITIONAL DETAILS 
Port of Seattle staff is also working with the Washington State Department of Commerce to
formalize how the state's five million dollar capital grant for the Maritime Innovation Center
(MinC) will be used. Eric Ffitch and David McFadden have a meeting with Commerce Director
Lisa Brown on July 29th to learn more about this state funding partnership and plan to provide
more details about the capital grant as they become available. 
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
Alternative 1  Take no action 
Cost Implications: None 
Pros: 
(1)   Provides the Port more time to discern how plan and nonprofit organization is moving
forward 
(2)    Memorandum of Understanding not needed at this point in time 
Cons: 
(1)   Lack  of  clarity  around  roles  and  responsibilities  could  lead  to  redundant  and/or
inefficient efforts 
(2)   Port might be seen as missing in action or insignificant stakeholder surrounding Blue
economy plan implementation 
This is not the recommended alternative. 

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. __3b__                              Page 4 of 4 
Meeting Date: July 23, 2019 
Alternative 2  Execute the Memorandum of Understanding 
Cost Implications: None 
Pros: 
(1)   MOU formalizes roles and responsibilities around Maritime development strategies 
(2)   Partnership helps focus and leverage energies around common project 
Cons: 
(1)   Plan lacks specifics so aligning organizations around plan implementation could be
difficult 
(2)   Washington Maritime Blue is a new organization so it remains to be seen how they
will grow or partner with others to implement the plan 
This is the recommended alternative. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
(1)   Presentation slides 
(2)   Draft memorandum of understanding 
(3)   Maritime Blue Strategy 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
May 14, 2019  The Commission authorized design funding for the Maritime Innovation 
Center (Historic Ship Supply Building) 
January 8, 2019  Commission received a briefing regarding Maritime Blue Plan and the
Maritime Innovation Center. 








Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.