The Washington Public Ports Association has honored the Port of Kalama with the President’s Port of the Year Award for combining long-term vision and innovative planning to create jobs and improve the community’s quality of life.

The Port of Kalama this year celebrated an extensive list of awards, recognition, infrastructure projects, and new contracts. The port has been recognized for fostering a business-friendly climate for businesses of all sizes.

Several Port businesses have chosen to expand their operations and several new businesses now call the Port of Kalama home. New infrastructure projects, including like the new 24-acre recreational facility, Haydu Park, were completed in 2015.

Among numerous awards, the port earned the Pathways 2020 Community Champions Award for Economic Vitality, which awards organizations that excel at creating jobs, employee wellness, training, employable skills, new or expanding business, transportation, financial security, reducing poverty, and higher wages.

The City of Kalama Planning Commission recently approved the Port of Kalama’s Master Plan to develop 70 acres of Port property to make way for the anticipated Spencer Creek Business Park. The city and port together earned the 2014 Governor’s Smart Communities Award for their collaboration on planning the multi-use business property which is expected to boost the region’s available commercial property, economy and job opportunities while strengthening the city’s revenue base.

“The port’s mission is to induce capital investment in an environmentally responsible manner to create jobs and enhance public recreational opportunities,” said Randy Sweet, president, Port of Kalama Board of Commissioners. “These projects collectively further every aspect of the port’s mission to contribute to an economically thriving, successful and livable region.”

The Port of Kalama is located in Southwest Washington on the Columbia River and immediately off of Interstate Highway 5. Port of Kalama’s industrial area includes five miles of riverfront property adjacent to the 43-foot federally-maintained deep draft navigation channel of the Columbia River. The port is served by the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads. There are over 30 businesses located at the Port of Kalama, employing over 850 people. The port offers shovel ready sites, a new Industrial Park, state of the art Marine Terminals and transportation accessibility to rail and highway all a 30-minute drive to the Portland International Airport.