Port of Seattle: Infrastructure, Threats, and Risk Management

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Port of Seattle, examining its role in maritime trade, transportation, and economic development. It delves into the critical national infrastructure concerns, outlining the responsibilities of homeland security and the various transportation sectors involved, including aviation, maritime, and freight rail. The report details the assets and subsectors of the Port of Seattle, such as maritime transportation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction. It offers an overview of the port's operations, including its different terminal types and the Sea-Tac Airport, highlighting the benefits it provides in terms of transportation and monetary services. Furthermore, the report assesses the risks faced by the Port of Seattle, including threats like terrorism, invasive species, and illegal narcotics, along with the resources used to counter these threats, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and cybersecurity measures. It also discusses the significance of potential threats, environmental concerns, and the most common threats like terrorism via cybersecurity attacks. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of the Critical National Infrastructure Protection Plan and risk management strategies in ensuring the port's security and operational efficiency.

Running Head: PORT OF SEATTLE 1
Project on Port of Seattle
Name
Port of Seattle

PORT OF SEATTLE 2
I. Introduction
This essay discusses the roles of homeland security, an overview of the operations at
port of Seattle as well as the risk management of that port and how to counter the
threats facing that port.
II. Critical National Infrastructure
A. Concerns
i. Roles of homeland Security
The homeland security has the general responsibility of protecting the nation by
countering terrorism as well as cyber security. Among the responsibilities of
homeland security include, helping in preparation and mitigation of various
security threats, gathering and dissemination of intelligence in readiness for attacks
and also coordinate responses to emergencies such as hurricanes, floods etc.
B. Transportation Systems Sector
The homeland security department in conjunction with the department of
transportation are responsible for safe and secure transportation of people and
goods around the country.
1. Subsectors
a. Aviation
The aviation sector is made up of aircrafts and air control system. It
has around 19,700 landing areas. 500 of which provide commercial
aviation services. Additionally, it also includes recreational aircrafts
and an extensive range of services like airplane service workshops,
aids for control, facilities for jet fuel and aviation institutes.
b. Highway and motor carrier
This is a huge sector which covers four million miles of roadway, over
six hundred thousand bridges and tunnels three hundred and fifty and
above. Vehicles in this sector encompass, commercial vehicles, lorries
and institute busses.
c. Maritime transportation system

PORT OF SEATTLE 3
It covers around ninety-five thousand miles along the seashore, over
twenty-five thousand waterways, 361 ports as well as intermodal
landside for various transport modes.
d. Mass transit and passenger rail
This sector encompasses termini, system of operations and
infrastructure for services offered by shipment busses and others.
e. Pipeline systems
It contains of over two and a half million pipeline miles which covers
the whole country. It used to distribution of natural gas, dangerous
fluids and substances.
f. Freight rail
It comprises of main transporters, above one hundred and thirty-eight
thousand, miles of rail roads, over 1.33M cargo cars and around
twenty thousand locomotives. This sector operates around 12,000
trains daily.
g. Postal and shipping
This sector distributes an estimate of 720M letters and parcels daily. It
covers huge transporters, local couriers as well as regional couriers.
("Transportation Systems Sector", 2019)
2. Assets sector and subsectors
a. Port of Seattle
i. Maritime Transportation
The port of Seattle gives the region around and the local maritime
industries a competitive advantage through commercial fishing,
recreational boating, maritime industrial development, cruises and
other operations while focusing their investments on environmental
and community health (Yoshitani, 2018).
ii. Postal and shipping

PORT OF SEATTLE 4
This sector distributes an estimate of 720 million letters and packages
every day. It covers large carriers, local couriers and also regional
couriers.
iii. Energy Efficiency
The port’s headquarter building ha show great commitment to
revitalizing the port’s working waterfront and leading the way in terms
of environmental stewardship through an energy conservation program
which was initiated in the late 2000.
iv. Waste Reduction and Recycling
Port of Seattle has made it their responsibility to actively minimize
waste across the aviation and maritime divisions. This is achieved
through tailored services and support for a diversified set of facilities.
v. Water and Water Conservation
The port’s Storm Water Management Program is used to manage
storm water in a way that ensure quality of water received and the
ecosystem through removal of source and site treatment.
III. Port of Seattle
A. A brief overview
This is the port that keeps Washington state connected via aviation, logistics, maritime trade as
well as travel services ("Home | Port of Seattle", 2019).
1. Different terminal types
a. Port of Seattle
This is a government agency that controls the Sea port of Seattle as well as the airport. Its
mission is to advance the trade and commerce, stimulate economic development and also
promote industrial growth.
b. Bell Street, Terminal 46, and Smith Cove Cruise Terminal

PORT OF SEATTLE 5
Terminal 46 is an off-dock rail ramps sea harbor which handles containers, is has a
refrigerated capacity of 538 and include has several ocean carriers; Safmarine, MSC and
Maersk. On the other hand, Smith Cove Cruise Terminal is at pier 92 and is used to serve
as a homeport for celebrity cruises, princess voyages, Holland American line, royal
Caribbean and carnival voyage lines. Finally, the Bell Street cruise terminal in tier 66
anchors a complex of eleven acres on the waterfront in downtown. It holds cruises that
provide transport to Alaska ("Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 | Port of Seattle",
2019).
c. Sea-Tac Airport
Seattle – Tacoma international airport, known as the major airport for commercial
services in the Seattle Metropolitan area in the U.S. it is located in the city of Sea-tac
("Sea-Tac Airport Home | Port of Seattle", 2019).
2. Everyday Operation
It operates two cruise ship terminals which provide services like concierge and luggage
storage, long-term packing, airline check-in, complementary shuttles and rental car
kiosks.
B. Benefits it provides
1. Transportation system Sector
This port is responsible for transportation of millions of goods and people every day. This
is very important towards the growth of the economy.
2. Monetary Services Sector
a. Revenue
The port incurs revenue through the various services that they offer. This revenue is then
used in industrial and national development.
b. Personal Income

PORT OF SEATTLE 6
Personal income is seen in terms of the people employed in the port. It has provided
employment to over 2,150 employees ("Port of Seattle Employees | Port of Seattle",
2019).
IV. Risk Assessment for Port of Seattle
A. Effects to surrounding communities
i. Agriculture
The port of Seattle is crucial in supporting the agricultural activities being conducted
around the area. This is because it acts as a very huge and beneficial connection between
the land and sea transport. They make transportation of agricultural products efficiently
done increasing its reliability to the consumers.
ii. Deportation and importation of goods
Using this Port, it becomes easy to reach the import and exports markets. It makes it
possible to access products from different places around the World. Many firms are able
to handle a variety of input goods for production and consumption.
B. Threats against the Port of Seattle
1. Terrorism
Seattle has faced several attacks that have been caused by domestic terrorists and violent
offenders who have been targeted. It is vulnerable to terrorism as it has a dense
population, numerous public spaces and locations.
2. Invasive Species
Ships in the Port that load cargo majorly discharge ballast water that had been previously
loaded in some distant ports. This discharge promotes introduction of invasive and
organisms that are pathogenic into the waters associated with the Port.
3.Illegal Narcotics
The number of illegal narcotics have been increasing over the years. Usage of these drugs
has led to an increase in the number of deaths exposing the Ports irregularity.

PORT OF SEATTLE 7
a. Resources use against these threats
i. U.S Customs and Border Protections officers
This is an agency within the Department of Homeland Security that recruit employees
who manage, protect and control the border of the nation. They work towards anti-
terrorism and ensure trade and travel is done legitimately.
ii. Cyber-Security
The port Authorities and operators at the terminal ensure cyber security measures are
installed to prevent cyberattacks. They enforce network segregation, hardening of the
password, rights segregation and management of updates basics related to technical
cybersecurity (McGillivary, 2018).
C. Significances of possible threats
1. Losses to be spread among multiple agencies
a. Monetary implication
These threats make it difficult for the port to meet up its goals thus reducing its efficiency
to its customers. This reduces the income generated thus causing a fall on the port
economy. The port pay attention towards eliminating these threats first. The working
relations among the agencies linked to the port weakens (Hershman, 2017).
2. Agricultural devastation
a. Environment Overview
Agriculture is needed in sustaining human life. Its devastation affects the environment as
it triggers the change in climate, causes pollution, leads to deforestation and
environmental degradation.
b. Wild Life Management
This threatens the existence of wildlife as it interferes with the proper management practices
of the wildlife. It makes the areas of habitation of the wildlife inconvenient promoting
extinct wildlife. It also creates human animal conflicts as the wildlife may lose its habitat.

PORT OF SEATTLE 8
D. Most Common Threats
1. Terrorism via Cyber Security Attacks
a. Port of Seattle’s cyber-security history
The stakeholders of the Port of Seattle has been experiencing numerous cybersecurity
challenges that are increasing due to new threats, advancements in digitization and
regulations. They have been facing ransomware attacks that mostly target the port having a
negative effect on the economy.
2. Precautions against this type of threat
a. Technologies and innovations
The shareholders require to unlock all the possible capabilities of digital transformation
so as to prioritize cybersecurity. The port should be equipped with appropriate tools and
the right knowledge to handle concerns of cybersecurity related to the emerging
technologies.
b. Critical National Infrastructure Protection Plan risk management.
This involves the National Infrastructure Protection Plan that provide an approach that
has been coordinated with an aim of establishing goals, priorities and the requirements
for CIKR protection for application of Federal resources in reducing vulnerability, detects
threats and minimize their effects.
V. Conclusion
The Port of Seattle is a large port located in Washington State. It has several subsectors that
help it conduct its main operations with an aim of having efficient transportation processes. It
has been experiencing several threats and risks that impact its growth and challenge its
existence. In line with the U.S Customs and Border Protections officers, Cybersecurity
operators, National Infrastructure Protection Plan and other related agencies, it is able to deal
with the risks and eliminate a few challenges.

PORT OF SEATTLE 9
References
Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 | Port of Seattle. (2019). Retrieved 15 December 2019,
from https://www.portseattle.org/places/bell-street-cruise-terminal-pier-66
Hershman, M. J. (2017). Harbor management: A new role for the public port. In Urban ports
and harbor management (pp. 3-22). Routledge.
Home | Port of Seattle. (2019). Retrieved 15 December 2019, from https://www.portseattle.org/
McGillivary, P. (2018). Why Maritime Cybersecurity Is an Ocean Policy Priority and How It
Can Be Addressed. Marine Technology Society Journal, 52(5), 44-57.
Port of Seattle Employees | Port of Seattle. (2019). Retrieved 15 December 2019, from
https://www.portseattle.org/employee-services/port-of-seattle-employees
Sea-Tac Airport Home | Port of Seattle. (2019). Retrieved 15 December 2019, from
https://www.portseattle.org/sea-tac
Transportation Systems Sector. (2019). Retrieved 15 December 2019, from
https://www.dhs.gov/cisa/transportation-systems-sector
Yoshitani, T. (2018). PNW Seaport Alliance: Stakeholder's benefits of port cooperation.
Research in transportation business & management, 26, 14-17.