Port of Kalama

What Port of Kalama does

Port of Kalama is a public port district — a local government agency in southwest Washington State — organized by public vote in 1920 and governed by an elected Board of Commissioners. It operates as a landlord port, leasing industrial properties and marine terminal capacity to private operators across approximately six miles of Columbia River waterfront (river mile 72 to 77) in Kalama, Washington, immediately off Interstate 5 between Portland and Seattle. Core customers are manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and export businesses (over 50 companies employing 1,300+ workers), with anchor tenants including TEMCO (a CHS/Cargill grain-export joint venture), Owens-Illinois (O-I), Steelscape, Reser's Fine Foods, Airgas, and Quadco Group.

The Port's core technology and infrastructure consists of a 43-foot federally maintained deep draft navigation channel, dual Class I rail service (BNSF and Union Pacific handling 100,000+ rail cars annually), marine terminals (TEMCO with 120,000 bushels/hour loading; Kalama Export Terminal at 3,000 tons/hour; North Port, LANXESS, and RSG Forest Products terminals), industrial parks (70-acre Spencer Creek Station, 13-acre Kalama River Industrial Park), and recreation assets (Marine Park, Louis Rasmussen Park, Haydu Park, Transportation Interpretive Center). Grain export capacity totals 15 million tons per year, ranking the Port 3rd on the U.S. West Coast and 15th nationally.

Revenue is generated through industrial property leasing, marine terminal tariffs (dockage, wharfage, linesmen), marina moorage, recreation facility rentals, and retail leasing at Mountain Timber Market. Pricing is quote- or fee-based, with annual industrial leases and a notable Washington State tax advantage (no state/corporate/personal income or inventory taxes) used as a tenant attraction lever. The Port does not collect property tax and has not done so since 1996. Mark Wilson serves as Executive Director, with Eric Yakovich as Director of Economic Development leading tenant recruitment. In 2024 the Port received its largest-ever federal grant — $26.3 million from the U.S. DOT Federal Rail Administration's CRISI Program — to fund the TEMCO Rail Expansion Project.

Name

Port of Kalama

Legal name

Port of Kalama

Website

https://portofkalama.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Port of Kalama is a public port district in southwest Washington operating multimodal marine, rail, and highway infrastructure on the Columbia River. It leases industrial properties and marine terminals to over 50 companies — including major grain exporters — generating approximately $3 billion+ in statewide economic impact.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Terminal and Industrial Port Operations

NAICS

Port and Harbor Operations (488310), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Inland Water Transportation (48321), Marinas (713930)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intermodal Rail Container Terminals (On-Dock / Near-Dock) (TLAHAAAE), Marine/Port-Connected Pipeline Terminals (Dock/Jetty Tank Farms) (TLAGAKAL), River Cruise Port, Docking & Terminal Services (THAEACAJ)

Keywords

• Port operations
• Marine terminal services
• Industrial property leasing
• Multimodal logistics infrastructure
• Grain export terminal

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalama

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Industrial Property Leasing: The Port generates primary revenue through leasing industrial properties including manufacturing facilities, warehouse space, and developable land to over 50 tenant companies. Properties include Spencer Creek Station (70-acre mixed-use development), Kalama River Industrial Park (13-acre rail-served site), and various industrial buildings with features such as 24'+ clearance height, sprinkler systems, and truck docks.
2. Marina Operations: The marina generates revenue through moorage services. The marina provides slips for boats with various amenities including electric vehicle chargers, restrooms, and picnic facilities.
3. Recreation Facilities Rental: Revenue from rental of recreation facilities including the Expo Building at Haydu Park ($310 usage fee), pavilion reservations, and sports field bookings for events, weddings, picnics, and community gatherings.
4. Marine Terminal Services: Revenue from dockage fees, wharfage fees, linesmen fees, and berthing arrangements for vessels utilizing Port marine terminals. Tariff-based pricing for various cargo handling services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Port of Kalama is a Washington State port district that operates marine terminals on the Columbia River for grain and bulk cargo export, leases industrial properties (Spencer Creek Station, Kalama River Industrial Park) to manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and export tenants, and provides public recreation facilities including a marina, parks, and event venues. The Port generates revenue through industrial property leases, marine terminal tariffs, marina moorage, and recreation facility rentals while serving as both a landlord port and a provider of public waterfront recreation.

Product overview

Port of Kalama is a municipal port district offering a diversified portfolio of industrial and recreational services. The port operates marine terminals for grain exports and bulk cargo, manages industrial properties including Spencer Creek Station and Kalama River Industrial Park, and provides extensive public recreation facilities including Marine Park, Louis Rasmussen Park, Haydu Park, and a Transportation Interpretive Center. The port also manages Mountain Timber Market, a retail marketplace with restaurants and specialty shops. The organization functions as a landlord port, leasing facilities to private operators while providing infrastructure and regulatory oversight.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• North Port Marine Terminal Public marine terminal offering a 900-foot dock with 43-foot water depth and a 600' x 100' working surface supporting heavy equipment cargo handling at 1,000 psf; used by industrial tenants for bulk and general cargo operations on the Columbia River.
• TEMCO Grain Terminal Private bulk grain export terminal leased to TEMCO LLC (a CHS/Cargill joint venture) with an 840-foot berth, 40-45 foot water depth, 6.5 million bushel storage capacity, and 120,000 bushels per hour loading via 2 ship loading spouts; exports feed grains, oilseeds, and wheat to Asia-Pacific markets.
• Kalama Export Terminal (KEX) Private grain export terminal with 1,088-foot berth, 40-67 foot water depth, 2 million bushel storage, and 3,000 tons per hour rated load via belt system with 4 spouts; handles all types of grain 24/7 and offers the West Coast's highest vessel loading capability, served by BNSF and Union Pacific railroads.
• LANXESS Terminal Private chemical terminal with 23-foot MLW height, 40-50 foot MLW depth, and open apron width; used for industrial chemical operations through Port of Kalama.
• RSG Forest Products Terminal Private lumber shipment terminal with 29-foot berth, 16-foot MLW height, and diesel forklift truck handling facilities for ocean-going barge operations serving RSG Forest Products.
• Spencer Creek Station 70-acre mixed-use industrial development off I-5 Exit 32 with 16 flexible light industrial suites at 2,300+ sq ft each, zoned for commercial and light industrial use; offered to industrial tenants seeking shovel-ready sites with utilities, environmental permits, and rail/highway access.
• Kalama River Industrial Park 13-acre rail-served industrial park with flexible warehouse space and office suites for distribution and warehousing needs, located off Interstate 5; opened with 6 new buildings constructed by the Port in 2000.
• Port of Kalama Marina Full-service marina on the Columbia River offering moorage for recreational boats and vessels, with amenities including electric vehicle chargers, restrooms, and picnic facilities; managed by Port Recreation/Marina staff on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Marine Park Five-acre day-use public park along the Columbia River offering beach access, picnic pavilions, walking paths, playground, and EV chargers for community visitors and recreation events.
• Louis Rasmussen Park Public recreation park with covered picnic shelters, sand volleyball courts, horseshoes, tennis/basketball courts, and fitness stations, located within walking distance of downtown Kalama.
• Haydu Park 24-acre sports complex with baseball/softball fields, soccer fields, playground, tennis/basketball courts, the Expo building, horse arena, and Kalama River beach access; available for rental for events, weddings, picnics, and youth sports leagues.
• Transportation Interpretive Center Public museum featuring exhibits on local transportation history including a 1917 Northern Pacific Steam Locomotive and displays about the Cowlitz Tribe and early settlers; open to community visitors.
• Mountain Timber Market Ten-acre retail marketplace within Port of Kalama's riverfront development, featuring restaurants, artisan shops, and specialty stores including Battle Crest Distillery, Be The Village boutique, Flipside cafe, and The Black Thumb plant shop; managed by the Mountain Timber Market Manager.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% employment growth over the past decade, now employing over 1,300 people
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BNSF RailwaycoreTechnology or IntegrationBNSF Railway provides mainline railroad service to the Port of Kalama, handling over 100,000 rail cars annually. The railroad is a critical component of the Port's multimodal transportation infrastructure for grain exports and general cargo.
• Union Pacific RailroadcoreTechnology or IntegrationUnion Pacific Railroad provides mainline railroad service to the Port of Kalama, complementing BNSF service. Both major Class I railroads serve the Port's industrial tenants.
• Cowlitz County Public Utility DistrictcoreOthersProvides electricity to Port tenants at some of the most competitive rates in the nation. The PUD is essential infrastructure partner enabling industrial operations.
• City of KalamacoreOthersProvides water and wastewater services to Port properties. Essential municipal infrastructure partner.
• Cascade Natural GascoreOthersNatural gas provider for Port industrial tenants. Essential utility infrastructure.
• CHS Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner50% owner of TEMCO joint venture operating grain export terminal at the Port. CHS is a Fortune 500 agribusiness company and key tenant driving Port grain export operations.
• CargillcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner50% owner of TEMCO joint venture operating grain export terminal at the Port. Cargill is one of the largest privately held corporations in the world and key tenant driving Port grain export operations.
• Cowlitz Economic Development CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for business recruitment and regional economic development initiatives. The Port refers potential tenants to Cowlitz EDC for additional information on taxes and incentives.
• McMenamins Kalama Harbor LodgeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Port's River Cam and venue for Westin Amphitheater concert series. Hospitality partner providing tourism and community engagement.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Port of Grays Harbor: Washington-state public port district exporting bulk cargo and serving industrial tenants on a working harbor. Comparable landlord-port model with bulk export franchise, though smaller in scale and more reliant on logs and autos.
• Port of Tacoma: Washington-state public port operating container, bulk, and break-bulk terminals plus industrial real estate. Directly comparable as a public port authority landlord with multimodal export franchise and industrial property portfolio.
• Port of Longview: Neighboring Columbia River port district also focused on bulk grain, logs, and industrial real estate. Directly comparable in operating model (public port authority, landlord structure, bulk export terminals, lease-based industrial tenants).
• Port of Vancouver USA: Columbia River public port handling grain, bulk, auto, and break-bulk cargo with adjacent industrial leases. Directly comparable in Columbia River grain export operations and port-as-landlord model.
• Port of Portland: Public port authority on the Columbia-Willamette system operating marine terminals, bulk cargo, and industrial parks. Directly comparable in multimodal river-rail-road infrastructure and industrial leasing business, though larger in container and air cargo exposure.

Broad incumbents

• Port of Los Angeles: Largest U.S. container port and a public port authority. Comparable landlord-port business model and West Coast export franchise, but operates at a much larger scale and is heavily containerized rather than bulk-grain oriented.
• Northwest Seaport Alliance: Joint operating entity of the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma for container, cargo, and industrial property. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest public port authority landlord with bulk/break-bulk and container capabilities, though it spans two separate port districts.
• Port of Long Beach: One of the largest U.S. container ports and a major West Coast exporter. Comparable as a public port authority landlord with a multimodal industrial footprint, but at significantly larger scale and with container focus rather than bulk grain.

Regional players

• Port of Astoria: Smaller Columbia River public port in Oregon operating marina, industrial, and recreation facilities. Comparable in landlord-port and Columbia River operating model, but smaller scale and lighter on bulk grain export infrastructure.

Others

• Cowlitz County Public Utility District: Utility provider that supplies Port of Kalama tenants with among the lowest-cost electricity in the U.S. It is not a peer in port operations but is a critical infrastructure and cost-advantage partner that materially underpins the Port's industrial-tenant value proposition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPVBDygq_q-EuL2FHhZGjzQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/PortofKalama1920
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/port-of-kalama/?trk=tyah&trkInfo=tas%3Aport+of+kalama%2Cidx%3A1-1-1%2F
• Xx.com/PortofKalama

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Port of Kalama